Lisa Actually Has a Calf
by LisaDouglas
Summary: What if Lisa had been lying when she said she wasn't pregnant at the end of Lisa Has a Calf? Part I in a series. Chapter 16 Now up!: What happens to the Douglas household when Lisa and Oliver switch places, he becomes the cook and she becomes the farmer! Eb in Charge, that's what!
1. Lisa's Surprise

**Lisa's Surprise**

Lisa was nervous and happy and tired, all at the same time. She'd been up for hours actually, it was almost days now. Most of that time, she'd been thinking about what to do. Maybe she should have just told Oliver yesterday, when she had the perfect chance. She sat in the kitchen, sipping glass of milk after glass of milk and looking through catalogues she'd brought with her from New York...as a distraction. Finally when it was almost morning, she turned off all the lights except for one small one they kept on in the bedroom, at her bedside, and slipped back into bed.

Lisa lye down and closed her eyes, resolved to go to sleep and forget the whole thing, at least for the duration of the night. She tossed and turned for a few minutes and realized that she couldn't simply keep it bottled up inside, even for the rest of the night. She was too anxious and far too excited to not say anything. She would feel much better if she just came out and told him. And she knew the perfect way. Lisa tilted her head sideways and placed her hands on either side of Oliver's cheeks, leaning in to kiss his lips softly.

"Um….good morning Lisa." He said, his eyes still closed. He loved waking up to the feel of his wife kissing him.

"Good morning darling." Her Hungarian accent chimed clear as a bell. "Oliver?" She asked. He could feel her tracing her fingers up and down the buttons on his pajama top in a delicate and extremely sensual fashion.

"Um?" He was tired, and no matter how enticing she was, he wanted to sleep a little while longer. He'd been working so hard to get them settled at the farm. She had too, and he wondered why she didn't want to sleep. "Oh Lisa, let me sleep." He said groggily, trying to put his pillow over his head.

"Oliver, I have something important to talk to you about." He looked over at the clock on his bedside table.

"Lisa! It's four o'clock in the morning!"

"But Oliver! I have some newvs for you, and I can't vait anymore!" She pouted, snuggling up to him, and putting her head on his chest.

"What's that?" He sighed, figuring it would be easier to just hear her news than to keep arguing with her.

"We need to buy another house."

"At…what time is it? What do you want the house for we've got..."

"Oh Oliver…" She pouted.

"Our bedroom is going to be finished…"

She took a deep breath. Yes, this would be the perfect way to do it. "We need to have room for when the shtork is coming…"

"What?

"Oliver….I'm pregnant."

"Oh Lisa dear, that's nice." He sighed, starting to drift back to sleep. "What?" He asked, sitting up straight in bed when her words sunk in. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes dahling." She was sitting up facing him now.

"Pregnant as in, 'we're having a baby?'" He questioned.

"Yes shweetheart."

"Darling! That's wonderful!" She was surprised when he kissed her, engaging both of her lips fully in a long, loving caress. "We're going to finally have our very own tiny baby?" She simply nodded at this.

"Yes!" She was excited now. "The shtork is really coming."

"Oh Lisa, that's exquisite."

"I'm glad you think so."

"We're really having a…"

"A baby."

"…is this a cow stork again?" He asked, she laughed, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Or a chicken stork, or your sister's stor…" He stopped when she kissed his lips lovingly.

"No darling, it's our shtork."

"Lisa, my darling. I'm so happy! I'm so proud of you. I'm surprised that you seem…excited."

"Vhy?"

"I just never really thought of you as much of a baby person, that's all sweetheart."

"Vell, I'm not. But I love you. And I couldn't resist having your baby."

"Oh Lisa, honey that's so sweet."

He decided to relish in the moment. He kissed his beautiful pregnant wife once more. So many thoughts crossed Oliver's mind as they kissed. First, he was glad that neither of them had actually watched Eleanor's calf born the previous evening, realizing it likely would have scared both of them senseless, in light of their newfound situation.

And In truth, Oliver was worried. Lisa didn't know anything about cooking, bottles, pregnancy, babies, or raising children. He could barely fathom how she was going to take care of herself well enough to have a baby in a few months, let alone actually take care of a child.

"Lisa honey, why'd you tell me now? Why not a few hours ago, when I asked you if you were pregnant?"

"Vell, because I vasn't ready…and I voke you up because I vas nervous and I've been pregnant for a vhile and I..."

"Oh honey. How long…"

"I think I must've been three weeks when ve got here?"

"Lisa! You must be four months by now."

"That's right."

"Lisa! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I vas nervous, and I vasn't sure for a vhile, and…I couldn't keep it to myself anymore."

"Well that's okay darling." He kissed her. "This is exciting. And it's alright that you got me up to tell me I was going to be a Dad." He kissed her again and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She held his hands in her own as they rested on her midsection.

"Oliver?"

"Hum?"

"Can ve go back to New York now?"

"No!"

"Vhy not, the baby…"

"Lisa, growing up in the country will be good for our baby. Kids need fresh air and freedom and a place to run around and play."

"Vell…" She said.

"Please?"

"Alvright, I'll think about it, but remember, six months!" She said cheerily, referring to the six months she had promised to stay on the farm.

"Alright darling." The six-month mark could come in a little over two months. She yawned. "Lisa have you been up worrying all night?"

"Yes."

"Honey, you need your rest. You shouldn't worry, especially not on my account."

"I know." She sighed, turning over and burring her face in his shoulder. He was almost too excited to sleep. He held Lisa tightly as she drifted off.

"Good night darling. I love you."

"I love you too."

Now he understood why she'd so sympathized with poor Eleanor out in the rain, offering her pickles. He thought something was odd when she'd said that men didn't "understand us women at a time like this." On the other hand, holding an umbrella over a wet cow was pretty strange behavior, even for her. And of course, this explained why she'd actually wanted him to buy the cradle from Haney. He thought maybe she'd been trying to tell him earlier that previous morning when Haney was giving the day's sales' pitch.

Oliver and Lisa tossed and turned groggily the next morning when someone came through their closet and the door hit the floor.

Oliver slowly sat up. He was furious to be woken up, and even more furious when he noticed Lisa sit up beside him.

"Are we workin today?" Eb asked.

"Eb would you!"

"Would I what? It's a good question, it's ten o'clock in the morning."

"Ten o'clock?" Oliver exclaimed.

"Yeah, you were supposed to be up five hours ago."

"Oh for the love of…"

"I'll make the coffee."

"Oh no, Lisa honey, you stay in bed you need your rest?"

"What's the matter, Mom sick or something?"

"She's not your mother….."

"No. I'm having a baby!"

"Really? I'll get the doctor!' He turned around to run and get the doctor.

"Eb, no she doesn't mean now, she means in several months."

"Nifty! Can I have a baby brother? Please, Mom, pl-"

Lisa giggled a little as her husband grew more and more angry. She found Eb's dedication to the family both adorable and endearing.

"She's not your sister and it's not your brother…oh boy!" Oliver was exasperated.

"How abvout a baby sister?" Lisa offered, she knew it was going to be a girl. "Vould you like that?"

"Yes Ma'am, but I don't think Mr. Haney would like that very much."

"Haney, what's he got to do with this?" Oliver thundered.

"Well, he's already got about a thousand birth announcements printed out for Oliver Wendell Douglas Jr."

"Oh for the love of…"

"Step right up to Haney's baby emporium!" They heard Mr. Haney's southern twang call from out in front of the house.

"Oh I should've known, here he is to sell me a fifteen dollar stroller I wouldn't put a pig in!" Oliver was very displeased. He put on his robe and marched outside in the pouring rain.


	2. Breaking News

**Breaking News**

"Mr. Haney!" Oliver yelled, tying his robe as he walked out the closet and into the yard. Eb followed, knowing he would enjoy watching this interaction. Lisa watched from the open bedroom window. "What do you think you're doing?" Oliver asked Mr. Haney.

"Why I'm just helping you with things for the little one…now take this antique rocking…"

"Lisa honey, you need your rest, go back to bed." Oliver said, catching that Lisa was watching from the window.

"Darling, I'm fine." She giggled.

"Well good morning, Mrs. Douglas, aren't you a vision of loveliness. I hope the baby's a girl so she can look just like you."

"Oh that's so sveet." Lisa thanked him.

"My wife is going to go to New York to get things for the baby." Oliver informed. Lisa smiled, excited by this news.

"I'm just joshing with you. Now I knew you weren't telling the truth when your mother was here. Mrs. Douglas was obvious yesterday."

"Shee (see) I tried to tell you then!" Lisa said, glad someone had understood her hints the previous morning.

"I just came to offer my congratulations, and to give you this." Mr. Haney

handed Oliver a cigar. Oliver smiled, that was actually very nice of Haney, he couldn't think of anybody in the city who would have done that for him, even his law partners wouldn't have cared enough about his impending fatherhood to extend such a kindness.

"Thanks Mr. Haney, that's very…"

"That'll be $1.49."

$1.49!" Oliver was outraged.

"It's a Cuban!" Haney whispered.

"Cuban? Here, take your cigar, and..."

"Well that's not very neighborly of you…"

"Neighborly of me!" Oliver yelled so loud, it startled Lisa a little bit. "Asking someone to pay for a gift! Now who ever heard of anything so…"

"And I wanna deliver your paper…that'll be 14 cents…"

"Get out!"

"But…"

"Out!" Oliver yelled, grabbing the paper, shaking it at Haney.

Haney shook his head.

"Some people just don't know the meaning of good will."

Lisa and Eb watched as Haney drove away and Oliver opened the paper. Lisa could tell he was surprised when he saw the front headline, it read: _Douglas's Expecting Baby_.

"Oh for the love of…" Oliver sighed.

"Vhat?"

"Wow, the baby made the news!" Eb informed. "I wonder if they're going to close the schools." Lisa and Oliver looked at Eb like he was crazy.

"Eb, would you let me tell her?" Oliver was very angry, Eb simply didn't reply again. "It says: Douglas's Expecting Baby. Mr. and Mrs…." Oliver began to read the article, but was interrupted by the sound of loud snorting and squealing at his feet.

"Oh hello there Arnold." Lisa called cheerfully to the little pig, who had a small bouqet of roses in his mouth. He squealed loudly in reply to her greeting, indicting he'd brought the roses for her.

"Vhy thank you Arnold! That was sveet! Eb?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"Could you take the roses and put them in a vase for me?"

"Okay." He said. Arnold squealed as Eb took the roses from him.

"No Arnold," Lisa replied, "the baby von't be here for a vhile, but when she's big enough you can come to play!"

"Oh no you don't! I've had enough my kid isn't playing with a pig!" Oliver was fed up with this rediculousness. Arnold squealed loudly in offense.

"Oliver! You hurt his feelings, and after he did such a nice…" She was aghast

and appaulled by his attitude.

"Lisa, I don't care. Get dressed."

"Vhy, vhere are ve going?"

"To Druckers'. I want to see what made him print this article."

"Lisa, I want to ask you something." Oliver said as they drove down the road. He'd calmed down considerably.

"Yes darling."

"Are you very sure you're pregnant?"

"Yes."

"How do you know? Did…"

"Vell, she's growving already." She said hesitantly, not wanting to admit that she'd already gained weight.

"No, I mean, did you see a doctor?"

"Yes. In New York, vhen I vent back to close the penthouse." Oliver felt like he might loose control and slide off the road, knowing now, without a doubt, that this was real. "Vhy do you ask, don't you believe me?"

"Of course I do, darling. I just want to make sure before I talk to Mr. Drucker about his paper." He explained as they pulled up in front of Drucker's General Store.

"Joe put that down!" Sam Drucker rolled his eyes. He was standing precariously on an old wooden latter that was breaking apart, trying to get something off a high shelf. Even so, he knew that Joe had just taken a bottle of soda. Joe Carson never stopped trying to get something for free: he was almost as bad as that shyster Haney.

"Good morning." Oliver said as he and Lisa walked into the store.

"Congratulations." Mr. Drucker said simply. "What can I do for you folks this morning?"

"You can tell me why-" Oliver began, lifting up the paper.

"Wait a minute, can I have a cigar and charge it to you for the occasion Mr. Douglas?" Joe asked.

"Mr. Carson!" Oliver was outraged, but decided to be sarcastic instead of angry this time. "I mean I already let you date my Mother. I don't think I need to go buying you anything."

"Joe, leave em' alone!"

"Mr. Drucker." Oliver took a deep breath. "Why did you print this story, how did you even find out about it?"

"That's vright, you see. I didn't tell Oliver abvout the baby until very, very early this morning. No vone could have known."

"It's all over town, everybody knows it. Haney told me." Sam replied.

Joe was upset. He thought Oliver should've given him a cigar.

"Mrs. Douglas. I sure hope it's a girl, so she'll be as pretty as you." Lisa smiled greatfully as Joe left the store.

"Why does everybody say that?" Oliver asked, almost talking to himself.

Later on in the day, Oliver was out in the tomato (or what would soon be the tomato field) by himself, thinking. He was tired and overwhelmed, not by his wife's news, but by the town's varied and insane reaction. On the other hand, his life would soon change completely, and he was well, a little overwhelmed. After all, fatherhood was no small responsibility. Suddenly he heard a noise that went; "Psst!" and called his attention. He looked everywhere around him and saw nothing, thinking of course that he was beginning to hear things.

"Pssst." It came again. "Hey, yeah Mr. Douglas, over here."

"Oh Mr. Watson hello, you startled me!"

"Oh I'm sorry. I hear congratulations are in order."

"Yes they are, thank you." Oliver smiled, at least people cared enough to

congratulate him.

"I thought you might like to buy some property."

"What?" He asked, angry for a second. He hadn't realized that having a baby

met that everyone was going to ask you to buy something from or for them.

"Well, my wife and I've been thinking of leaving you know, going into

retirement, and with your wife expecting, I figured you might want to have…a little bit bigger of a place." Mr. Watson chose his words carefully, not wanting to insult the hovel…house that the Douglas's currently resided in. Surely they didn't think they could raise children there.

"The house too?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, that too."

"I might just be inclined to take a look then."

"Well then, step on to your land." Oliver did not hesitate to walk onto Mr. Watson's property when he dismantled the small section of fence standing between them. This gave Oliver a very clever, sweet idea.

Up at the house, Lisa was sitting with her fourth set of visitors of the day. First there had been Arnold, then Alf and Ralph, Mr. and Mrs. Ziffel, and now Kate and Bobby Jo Bradley had come to see her, and brought her first baby gift…gifts, actually.

"This is too generous of you Mrs. Bradley." Lisa was overwhelmed by what Kate and Bobby Jo had brought her. "I don't know how I could ever thank you."

"Oh you don't need to thank me. That's what neighbors and friends are for."

"But won't you…"

"Need all this stuff?" Kate laughed. "No. You see my girls outgrew all of this a long time ago." Lisa smiled, looking up at one of the cute little dresses they'd brought her.

"Oh my, this is so tiny and so cute!" Lisa smiled, she'd never really handled baby clothes before. "And the rocking chair, are you sure you vant to part vith it?"

"Well, you need it more than we do right now."

"Oh thank you so much, it's the most darling thing I've ever seen."

Lisa had kept the Bradley's rocking chair on the condition that she would return it whenever the first Bradley girl had a baby.

"Hello darling." Lisa smiled, wrapping her arms around Oilver's neck when he came home. "I have a surprise for you."

"And I for you." He kissed her sweetly.

"Me first, come on darling." She laughed flirtatiously, taking his hand in her own and leading him into the living room.

"What is it?"

"It's our first baby gift, on loan from Mrs. Bradley and her girls. There!" She

gestured toward the rocking chair. "Look Daddy, because you have a beautiful voice to sing people to sleep with!"

"Oh Lisa it's wonderful. It makes it all so much more real." He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She squealed as he swept her off her feet. The next thing she knew she was on his lap, in his arms. She kissed his cheek.

"What makes it more real, I remember, they don't allow children in the penthouse."

"No they don't."

"Not even one little baby girl?"

"Nope."

"Not even a very good little girl, vith your eyes?" She nuseled him, pleading as though it were his decision.

"Nope. I'm sorry Lisa." He kissed her softly.

"Not even Oliver Vendell Douglas Jr?"

"No." He laughed, hugging her tightly. "Many penthouses simply do not allow children."

"Vhat about here?Ve can't have children in such a dangerous house?"

"Children?" He asked.

"Yes…children. Vell, I think our baby should have a sibling. At least vone."

"I agree."

"But Oliver…vone baby or three, I don't think that this house is a safe place for children."

"I agree with you."

"Really?" She was shocked.

"Yes. That's why I have a surprise for you."

"Oh I love surprises Oliver!"

"I know you do." He smiled, handing her a very small package. "Here, open it."

"It's not a minks?" She asked, clearly disappointed.

"No. But I think you'll like it much better than a mink."

"Alvright darling." She said as she began to tear at the package. "Vhat's this?" She asked, holding up a single key.

"It's the key to the house we're going to raise a family in."

"Oh Oliver!" She was overwhelmed as ears came to her eyes. She threw her arms around him and kissed him.

"Vhere, Vhat?"

"I bought the Watson's house, and all his land….and his apple orchards…."

"Oliver, that sounds beautiful. I love that house, I can't think of a better place around here for a baby. Vhen do ve move in?"

"Well, Lisa, that's kind of the thing."

"Vhat…"

"Well, we can't move in for a while, actually not for another six months."

"Sixs months?"

"Yes, the baby will be just a few weeks old."

"Alvright, that's better than nothing."

"Oh Oliver, I love you."

"And I love you." He replied as they began to kiss again, she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Can I have a room? That place is huge!" Eb interjected.

"Get out!"

"But…"

"Go to bed!" Oliver yelled.

"Yes sir! Gee Mrs. Douglas, I sure hope it is a girl so she'll be as nice and as pretty as you, not a sorehead like him!" Eb bolted from the room.

"Why, I-" Oliver was outraged. "Why does everybody say that?"

"Darling!" Lisa said sweetly.

"Hum?"

Lisa giggled. Guiding his chin back toward her and throwing her arms around him, they went back to their kiss.


	3. The Homecoming

Lisa had just arrived in New York for an eight-week stay with Oliver's mother. He thought she'd be more comfortable there for the winter, and she missed New York, but knew she would miss Oliver. The first thing she did upon arriving at her mother-in-law's penthouse was tell her the good news- her reason for being there.

"A baby!" Mrs. Douglas senior was at very first excited about being told she was to expect a grandchild from Lisa and Oliver. But after some further consideration Eunice Douglas was angry. "How could he do this to you, my perfect child, my-"

"But mother, I…" Lisa took her mother-in-law's hands, trying to calm her.

"I know a good Doctor that can take care of…"

"Mother! I don't vant anything taken care of! I vant this baby." Lisa pressed her hand against her midsection ever so gently.

"You do?" Mrs. Douglas senior raised an eyebrow. She'd never thought of Lisa as the baby-having type, she loved and hated this about her daughter-in-law.

"Oh very much." She sighed. "You see, this baby is the ultimate expression of your son's love for me, and mine for him….and what better way to show that love, than in a whole new person?" She explained her feelings on the situation. "I can't really think of anything more romantical than that- a baby that's his flesh and blood and my flesh and blood." Lisa was surprised when Eunice smiled.

"So, I can be happy?" She asked.

"Please."

"Oh Lisa! A baby! Oh there's a thousand things to do!"

Over the next few weeks, Lisa "rested" in New York. In truth, Mother ran her ragged helping her prepare for the baby and she couldn't wait to go back to the farm.

Oliver was so excited to pick Lisa up at the train station. It had been a long month and a half…almost two months since she'd gone back to New York to stay with his mother and buy things for the baby. When she was gone everyone in Hooterville (excepting Mr. Drucker and Mrs. Bradley) thought she'd left him. He missed her so much, but was almost more sick of hearing: "I'm sorry your wife left ya Mr. Douglas" than he was of Lisa not being there.

He was anxious to see Lisa when she got off the train and lifted her off the platform into his arms.

"Oh Lisa my beautiful! I missed you so much!" He took her in his arms and kissed her sweetly and deeply. She relished his kiss, wrapping her arms around him.

Floyd and Charlie watched this from the train. First, that was some kiss! And second, they could not believe he didn't notice the obvious change in Lisa. Oliver looked down when he tried to hug his wife, and found he couldn't in quite the same way he was used to.

"Lisa, what-" He stepped back from her, noticing instantly that she was now obviously very pregnant. He was stunned. There was no longer any escaping that his impending fatherhood was really real. She looked down and smiled tenderly.

"Vell, I am about six months now."

"That's right- you are." She looked more like she was going to deliver any day. "Wow."

"I know. Vow." She giggled. "Oh Oliver, I missed you too!"

"I missed you… I was afraid Mother was going to keep you!"

"Oh she tried!"

"Lisa, I've never been so happy to see you." She giggled as he kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's go home. I have another surprise." He encircled her waist with his arm and walked her back to the car.


	4. The Day of Decision

Oliver lye sleepless in bed one week later: admiring his sleeping, very pregnant wife. Lisa lye smiling brightly with her head against his chest: and her hand cradling her six-month pregnant stomach. Oliver lye his hand on her stomach: feeling the baby move under his touch.

The day of decision had arrived and his heart and mind were racing. They'd been on the farm six months, and she'd only promised to stay there with him six months. Would she stay or would she go? He was nervous because New York was fresh in Lisa's mind. She'd stayed with mother, and then gone back with him on a two-day business trip earlier in the week. The baby's sudden kick caught his attention and brought him out of his thoughts.

"I'm so sorry little one." Oliver whispered to the baby. "I think you would've liked the country, but your Mom's going to choose New York." Lisa opened one eye and closed it again quickly so her husband wouldn't catch on. She lye there and listened to him talk to their baby.

"In New York, I'll leave for the office before you ever wake up and get home once you've gone to sleep. I'm not looking forward to that." He admitted, pausing for a moment. "I was looking forward to being a big part of your life. I promise, either way, I'll find a way to be, okay?" He laughed, feeling the baby kick again. "You're smart! Oh well, it's your Mom's decision. If she goes, you go. But just know, even for the sake of my life's dream: your not leaving here without me. I love you."

Lisa was stunned, and now confused. She hadn't thought of it that way. He was right. If they raised the baby in New York, Oliver would never be there and she'd be a single mom.

Oliver's early morning words sent Lisa spiraling into a quandary. She was torn between what she wanted, and what Oliver wanted. The problem was that she didn't know what was really best for the baby: her choice or his.

"Vhat to do, vhat to do." Lisa mumbled to herself as she paced the kitchen, it was noon now and she wished there was an easy way to make up her mind, and she wished she had someone to talk to, to confide in. Oliver was frustrated, and Eb was anxious. Both men wanted answers.

"Hi Lisa." Oliver came into the kitchen. "Well, have you decided?"

"No, not yet."

"Lisa, it's a simple decision. My patience is getting short."

"I'm sorry, it's not so simple for me Oliver. This is very stressful. It's my interests, verses yours, verses the baby's. And it's my job to sort it out. You see, I think ve better go back to the city, but…."

"Alright, fine, just move everything!" He startled her deeply when he yelled; he virtually never yelled at her and it broke her heart.

"Oliver, I vas trying, to-"

"Fine, if that's the way you feel about it, then…"

Oliver went on ranting and something deep inside stopped Lisa in her tracks.

"Oliver!" She cried. Suddenly the pain was too much.

"What, what? What's wrong?"

"Oh Oliver!" She gasped in pain, leaning over and clutching her stomach and reaching out for his hand. "Oliver it hurts! It hurts so…"

"It's the baby!"

"Ahhhhhhh!" She screamed as she began to cry. "I think the baby….ahhhh!"

"Oh Lisa, it's okay…it's going to be okay, I promise." He soothed, gently sitting her at the kitchen table.

"But the baby, something's vrong, it's too…haaaaaa early!"

"She'll be fine. She'll be fine. Eb!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "Eb!" He quickly went to work helping Lisa put her shoes on. "Ebbbbbbbbb!"

"Oliver!" She shrieked as he picked her up. He had a difficult time picking her up, but didn't want to let on.

"Eb!" He called. Oliver sighed in relief when he saw Eb already in the car with it running. Sometimes that stupid kid was good for something. He piled Lisa into the back of the car and barely jumped in before he demanded that Eb drive off.

"Is Mom having the baby?" Eb asked as he sped onto the county road.

"Yes, and she's not your…"

"Yes Eb darling, I'm…ahhhhhhhhhh!" She squeezed Oliver's hand. She was sobbing by this point. She didn't want to loose the baby. "Oliver, I'm scared!"

"Lisa I promise it's going to be okay." He soothed, wrapping his arm around her and holding her tightly. He wished he hadn't promised her. He was scared too. "Eb, can you drive a little faster?"

"Ahhhhhhh! Yes please, a little faster."

"Wait, wait…." Oliver cautioned when he thought maybe Eb was going a little too fast.

"Not that fast! Eb!" Lisa screamed, hearing a siren not far behind them.

"Oh you stupid!" Oliver was furious. They were pulled over by a cop on motorcycle.

"License and registration please."

"Please, officer, my wife's having a baby…three months early…we're just trying to get to the hospital."

"Oh, why didn't you say so before?" He asked. "Follow me."

Oliver was at first happy that the officer dispensed with the ticket and volunteered to escort them all the way to Pixley…or so he thought. Unfortunately, that was too good to be true. The officer sped off once they'd reached the office of Hooterville's resident family doctor.

"Oliver please the pain's too bad, I think I need to stop here." Lisa whispered, her head on his shoulder.

Against his better judgment, and with a heavy, worried heart Oliver obliged.


	5. Some Most Unexpected News

Some Most Unexpected News

Oliver was a nervous wreck. He couldn't stand waiting for his wife, waiting to know if his baby was going to live…if it had been born. He hadn't heard a baby cry and didn't know if that was a bad sign, or a good sign. Either way, he thought he should be with Lisa in a situation like this. He also wished he would've continued on to the hospital instead of stopping at the country doctor's small office. At least the doctor had delivered a lot of babies in his day.

Above all, he knew that the baby's current predicament was his fault, because he'd yelled at Lisa, and that was making him sick inside. He couldn't stand to think about what would happen if the baby died: about the little crib in their bedroom and most of all, about the little life Lisa carried inside her that was a manifestation of their love.

He knew loss of the baby would change them irreparably: it would break their hearts and sour their spirits, embittering them to the world and perhaps to each other. Oliver knew he couldn't let that happen no matter what.

Lisa lye in the doctor's office; she had the same fears and frustrations as Oliver- and worse. The labor pains had stopped a while before, but she couldn't feel the baby moving- and he usually never stopped moving. The doctor was listening to her stomach with the stethoscope and she wondered if he could hear a little heartbeat or not- that thought made her sick.

Lisa was truly scared. She didn't want to loose her child before she ever got the chance to know her, hold her, or look into the big beautiful blue eyes she knew the baby had gotten from Oliver.

"Good news Mrs. Douglas, you can go home in just a few moments." The doctor helped her to sit up.

"Vhat, vhy? Vhat happened?"

"You had early false labor. It's nothing to worry about…if it's handled correctly and isn't uncommon at this stage, in a pregnancy like yours."

"Like mine?" She didn't know what he was talking about.

"You're having twins Mrs. Douglas."

"Tvins!" Lisa questioned.

"Yes, twins. The doctors in New York didn't tell you?"

"As in twos babies?" She just had to make sure.

"Yes, twos, uh, two babies."

"Are you sure?"

"Two heartbeats, two heads. I've never been wrong about twins before."

"Oh." She smiled. That was a satisfactory answer for her. "That explains it!"

"Explains what?"

"Vhy he's moving all of the time, because there are two of them!"

"Yes, that's right. Now, if you want, I'm going to get your husband and…"

"Alvight. Just please don't mention the twins. I vant it to be a surprise."

"Okay. I just want to let you know a few things before he comes in. I'm going to have to put you on complete bed rest until they are big enough to be born because there are two of them and they are putting too much pressure on you. And they will be born mid-May, not mid-June." In that time the nurse had brought Oliver in and then left.

"Lisa honey, are you alright?" Oliver asked, relieved to see her smiling and still very pregnant. She was sitting in the same place he was when he'd

had his sprained ankle bandaged earlier in the year.

"Yes darling, we're fine." She kissed him as he leaned in to kiss her.

"And the baby…"

"Is going to be just fine, provided that Mrs. Douglas stays in bed for the next couple of months.

"The next couple of months! What's wrong?" Oliver questioned.

"Nothing some women just need that and your wife happens to be one of them. Walking around and housework and especially travel are putting too much pressure on the baby, and if she doesn't rest she'll go into labor again."

"That sounds serious." Oliver said.

"No, just the way she's carrying the baby. If she stays in bed and off her feet, they'll be fine."

"You can't expect me to not get out of bed for two whole months!" Lisa had been thinking about it and didn't think he could possibly be serious.

"Two whole months. Of course you can walk around for a few minutes a day, enough to get onto the porch for a while, to the restroom, but nothing strenuous. Take baths, not showers for now. No cooking."

"Well there's some good news." Oliver said under his breath. Lisa shot him an unforgiving look.

"And I want you lying on your side as much as you can manage. Stay off your feet as much as you can. You need as little stress as possible, and remember, absolutely no sex, coffee, or spicy food. I can guarantee that any of those things will induce labor again, and you'll have your baby far, far too early."

Oliver drove Lisa home with a guilty, nervous and at the same time, jubilant heart. He was still going to get to be a Dad! He pulled over to the side of the to talk to Lisa.

"Are ve going to smooch?" She asked, just happy that the twins were going to live, and that there were going to be baby twins!

She was so happy she wouldn't mind a little smooching. Inside she was secretly thrilled. She wondered if she should tell him there were going to be two babies.

"No." He laughed, happy he could still laugh that day. "I didn't stop to smooch, I stopped to apologize. Lisa, I'm so sorry."

"For vhat?"

"For yelling at you. I almost killed our baby. Can you ever forgive me?"

"No you didn't. It vas a coincidental, and our babies are going to be just fine."

"Well that's a…did you just say babies?"

She nodded quickly practically bursting with excitement.

"Lisa…"

"I'm having tvins Oliver!" She took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"T-twins?"

"Yes Oliver, baby tvins."

"Lisa that's wonderful! Baby twins. Oh my Lisa I love you." He whispered as they slipped into a sweet, loving kiss.


	6. Reaching June

Reaching June

Oliver and Lisa had decided to keep the news that they were having twins to themselves. Even Eb and Mother had been kept in the dark. They wanted to relish in their private joy for a while and ultimately give everybody a big surprise. Lisa got dressed almost every morning even though she was confined to bed. She spent her days playing cards, watching movies with Alf and Ralph…or just simply watching them "work." Oliver had tried to fire them, but decided against it because they made Lisa's time in bed more bearable.

Soon two months had passed and everyone was nervous because they knew the baby might come very soon. Lisa wasn't worried though. She had no intention of giving birth a month early and was determined to carry the twins to their original nine month due date.

It was late in the evening at the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend. Lisa was so excited as June was closer than ever. Oliver and Eb were working outside while she sat in bed, watching the evening movie and eating popcorn with Alf and Ralph.

"Ow!" Lisa burst, her hand went to her side. Her sudden pain startled Alf and Ralph. Their bowls of popcorn flew everywhere as they jumped up to action.

"It's time, it's time!" Ralph burst.

"I'll get the boiling water!" Her brother followed.

"I'll get the sore- head!" Ralph rushed toward the closet door.

"No, no, no! Ve're alvight. The baby just moved suddenly and I didn't expect her to, that's all." Lisa laughed. In reality, the twins were kicking and punching each other, a habit that made her very uncomfortable.

"What's going on in here?" Oliver heard yelling and decided to check on Lisa.

"Oh nothing darling. I just said 'ow' and they thought the baby vas-" She explained as he sat on the bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her.

"Alf, Ralph. I think we better call it a day. Mrs. Douglas needs her…."

"But we…" The Monroe sister protested.

"Yeah, we…" Her brother followed.

"Out!" Oliver demanded, sending the two bumbling Carpenters running.

"Oh darling. I'm alright." Lisa said, rubbing her nose against his.

"It was the twins….they're fighting again, aren't they?" He asked, placing his palm on her stomach. "Wow they are kicking really hard. Can I do anything for you?"

"Hold me Oliver." She smiled, sinking deeper into the bed.

"I'd love too." He slipped off his shoes and climbed into bed with her, taking her in his arms. "I should come inside for the night anyway."

Lisa sighed as Oliver took and held her in his arms. He was kind enough to hold her as he lye behind her on his side. Lisa was so sick of laying on her side- it made her ache so much. Oliver rested his chin on top of her head as they both cradled her eight, almost nine-month pregnant belly. Lisa felt so very comfortable and appreciative as he held her- it was like being hugged all over and she needed that very much.

"Oliver? Vhy did you do this to me?"

"Lisa! Honey, I didn't mean to make you pregnant, let alone put you in bed for months at a time." She wrapped her fingers around his. "I didn't mean to hurt you.

Are you alright?"

"My legs hurt. I want to get up. And my back! Oh!"

"What's wrong with your back?"

"Your babies are too big."

"I promise we'll have the babies real, real soon. I promise."

In truth, Oliver was very nervous. It didn't take long for Lisa to fall asleep, but he stayed awake just staring at her.

"Please babies." He whispered to her stomach. "Don't be little boys. I mean if you are…that would make you my sons and I won't be able to help but love you…but please be little girls."

Oliver was terrified of having sons and he hadn't admitted this to his Lisa. His relationship with his own father had been so traumatic that he couldn't bare the thought of repeating it with his sons. He thought maybe that was the reason he'd never asked Lisa to have a baby with him when he knew they both wanted to. But all was right with the women in his life. His mother was a pain, but he loved her and they'd been through a lot together. His sister was distant. They didn't have much in common but they were far from enemies. And he adored Lisa more than his own life, and he couldn't wait to have a baby with her...even if it was a boy, or two.

"I'm sorry I said that." He said, leaning down to kiss her stomach. "And I do love you. And I can't wait to hold you- no matter who you are precious babies."

"Oliver? Who are you talking to?" Lisa asked groggily.

"I'm talking to the babies." He smiled. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Oh- darling that's alright."

"Lisa do you know what the babies are?"

"No. I have some ideas, but I don't really know Oliver. You know vhat?" She asked. She'd heard him talk to the babies a few minutes before and felt him kiss her stomach. "The babies are going to love you, because you are a good, loving, truthful man and because you love them. You don't have to worry about having little boys Oliver. You are not your father." He smiled.

"Thank you Lisa, that's right, isn't it?"

"Yes darling." She soothed. "We're going to have beautiful babies Oliver."

"With a mother like you, I have no doubt they'll be beautiful. Oh my Lisa, how do you always know how to say the right thing?" He asked, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Because I love you."

A few days later…

Lisa was looking forward to giving birth and to moving into the new house now that her adjusted due date had passed with the twins still safely inside her. Her original due date was only a few days away now and she was ready to put her turbulent pregnancy behind her. She and the babies had had a long nine months. First, she'd moved out there, fallen into a cellar on her first day (and been scared to death she'd miscarry), gone into premature labor, found out she was expecting twins and should deliver a month early; then finally placed on an exhausting bed rest.

Reaching June still pregnant was a huge achievement on her part.

"This is impressive Mrs. Douglas." The doctor said, when he came to see her. "I really didn't think you were going to be able to hold out this long."

"Well she is a Hungarian-" Lisa was amused and angry at Oliver's teasing of her nationality. The joke completely escaped the doctor.

"You can have the babies any time you want to. Like before, if you walk around for any length of time you're going to go into labor. And now that you're due date is just days away- you're free to walk around as you please to start your labor. Also, now that you're close it may just happen."

"So I'm going to have them soon?"

"I think it's going to be another week or so, unless you get up. For now, do what you've been doing, and call me when the labor starts. Now you have a choice. Do you want to have them here or in the hospital?"

"Here?" Lisa laughed.

"Yes, many mothers around here still deliver at home. I rarely deliver one in the hospital; very rarely." Lisa laughed and quickly opted for the hospital in Pixley, even though she wanted to opt for the hospital in New York.

Lisa was alone in the house the next morning, and she was resolved that she had spent her last day in bed.

"Are you ready my babies?" Lisa asked. "Mommy's ready- she's going to get up now. I just vanted to let the two of you know."

She could feel that getting up was going to cause labor. Bracing herself, she got up from her bed and looked in her mirror. She was huge. She wished she'd braced herself for that.

"Are you two happy?" She teased, laughing softly.

Lisa made her way into the kitchen and decided she was going to work on making some baby food. She rubbed her back softly there was that funny sharp pain again. Determining what she needed, she stood on a chair so she could reach the cabinet.

"Oh Lisa, honey, get down from there. What are you doing!" Oliver exclaimed as he came into the room. He helped her down from the chair she was standing on.

"I was just trying to get a glass out of the…"

"Darling, what ever you need, I'll get it. You're supposed to be in bed. The doctor said any day now."

"I know." She nodded, rubbing her back softly. She'd had a funny little snap in her back when she'd gotten off the chair.

"What are you trying to do anyway?"

"Jar baby food."

"Sweetie, you don't need to worry about that right now. You need your rest. How are you feeling?" He helped her sit down.

"I'm a little tired, my back hurts. A lot. Oh!" She winced.

"Lisa, what is it?"

"Oh nothing, it's just that funny little pain in my back."

"How long have you had it?"

"About an hour and it keeps coming on more..."

"Sweetheart! Do you know what's happening?"

"No, vhat?"

"You're in labor!"

"I am? What's that mean?"

"The baby's coming, darling."

"Of course it is!"

"Lisa!"

"Vhat?" she said, crunching her eyes shut and gripping his hand. She'd just realized the sharp pain when she got off the chair, was her water breaking.

"Eb has the car!"

"Vhat?"

"Eb needed the car and I gave it to him because I didn't think the baby-"

"Oh, Oliver! Vhat a time to….uuugggggghhh. Ow! Oh!"

"Sweetheart, I'm putting you to bed…relax, start your breathing…and calling Eb and..." He struggled to lift her into her arms and carried her to their room. "Everything's going to be just fine!"

"Oliver….ahhh, hurry!" She screeched.

Will Eb get home in time? Will Oliver and Lisa make it to the hospital? Will they ever find Bobby Fischer? Stay tuned for the next installment…

Thanks for the Reviews Everyone, can't wait to hear more feedback!


	7. Lisa Has a Calf, Part I

Lisa Has a Calf, Part I

7 June, 1966

"It's alright Lisa, it's going to be okay." Oliver reassured, sitting her on their bed. Lisa was obviously very scared and that made him nervous. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, holding it close to her as she breathed heavily.

"I'm going to get on the phone and call the doctor and call Eb home, and…" Oliver began, letting go of her hand.

"Hurry Olivah, please! I can feel this is going fast!" Lisa desperately wanted a loving hand to hold. This felt very different…far more real than it had when she'd gone into labor a few months before.

"Okay- I'll be right back!"

Oliver climbed out the window and up the telephone poll. He was surprised that she seemed to be in heavy labor when he came back.

"Olivah! The doctor isn't going to make it here before your babies do!"

"Lisa, it's going to be alright." He comforted, sitting on the bed, just below her feet. She had brought her feet up close to her noting it eased the pain a little. He kissed her forehead as she laughed through her tears. "It's going to be okay, I promise, I promise. They'll wait long enough for the Doctor to come and Eb to- and you don't have to cry my love." He reached up to wipe her tears off her cheeks as she grabbed his shirt and held on for dear life.

"Yes I do! You haven't had a baby before! It hurts so…ha much, ha- Olivah! Help! Ahhh!"

"Here, here, take my hand, there my darling. You're alright." He gave her his hand. She took it and squeezed it tightly as she screamed, finding it much more comforting than his shirt.

"Can I vait, and have the babies in New York?" She asked, catching her breath.

"No!" He was frustrated.

"Don't vell at me!" Lisa yelled back at him as she cried, clutching his hand.

"Oh, honey, honey I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Olivah?" She said nervously.

"What sweetheart?" He was trying to sugarcoat this. He didn't want her to be mad at him while she was having the baby twins.

"I think I have to push."

"You have to…you have to push?"

She said nothing, and just nodded as she started to scream again. Oliver thought she couldn't be serious. He hadn't even delivered the calf! He had no idea how to deliver a baby…well, barely any idea. He'd seen it done once before, during the war. But what was he supposed to do if something went wrong?

"Lisa, you can wait a little…the doctor…"

"No, Olivah! It hurts so much! It's…Ahhh!"

Oliver was afraid he was going to pass out, but decided he better oblige and help her, noticing that her pains were suddenly closer together than he was comfortable with. And after all, he had never had a baby before, as the Mother, she was probably right. It was her body after all. He lye her back on some pillows, making sure she was as comfortable as he possibly could, before taking her hand again. The couple took a breath together, bracing themselves to bring their children into the world.

"Okay honey, we can do this. We can do this." She nodded through her tears. He didn't know who he was really trying to reassure, her or himself. "Oh honey, you're right. It's time! I can see the baby! I can see our baby's head!" Now he was going to pass out for a completely different reason, he could see his child.

"I know, that's vhy I'm telling you I'm ready!"

"Alright sweetheart." He said. "You can push when you're ready."

He knew she was serious when she began to scream and cry in Hungarian. The next few minutes were surreal for Oliver as he watched his first child come into the world. Lisa clutched his shirt as she screamed, saying Lord knows what to him in Hungarian. This made him even more nervous.

"Olivah, I can't! I can't anymore! It's turning me inside-out!" She screeched, leaning forward, her forehead falling against his. She was sobbing now and completely out of breath.

"Yes, yes you can." He said, taking her chin in his hand and lifting her tear-

stained face to meet his gaze. "You've got me, I'm right here, okay? We'll do this together." She nodded. "Can you push again, into the pain…it'll be alright Lisa, I promise."

"Olivah, is it awful, I can't look!" She questioned, her eyes closed and her forehead against his still.

"Don't look Lisa, but I've got our baby's little head in my hands and you're both doing just fine darling."

The baby was born just within the next few minutes and Lisa fell back into her pillows, happy to finally hear the baby cry. Oliver could barely fathom that the baby was taking its first breaths and coming to life, right in his hands.

"Oh Lisa! She's beautiful! We have a baby daughter and she's just beautiful!"

Oliver's nervousness about fatherhood was entirely erased the moment he first held his beautiful little girl. He fell in love with her the instant her big beautiful blue eyes opened and met his gaze for the first time. He couldn't believe she'd gotten his eyes: she looked like him!

"Olivah, she's beautiful!" Lisa sighed. He could tell that she was weak and very tired now, but she smiled brightly at him anyway. He wrapped the baby in a soft pink blanket and lye her on Lisa's chest. "Hello my beautiful baby darling." She whispered kissing the girl's tiny head. Lisa was overwhelmed by holding her own little girl and started to cry again. "Olivah, she's perfect."

"Yes she is, and I love you both so much." Oliver took the opportunity to kiss his wife softly, knowing it was just a matter of minutes before they'd have to start all over again and the second twin would be born.

"And I love you both no matter how much pain you just caused me!" She exclaimed teasingly. "Ohhh, ouch! Olivah! It's….ahhhhh!"

Will the Doctor ever arrive? Will Oliver have to deliver the second twin? Stay tuned to find out….

I appreciate the reviews everyone! I am still making some decisions so feedback is much appreciated!


	8. Lisa Has a Calf, Part II

Lisa Has a Calf, Part II

7 June, 1966

"Lisa, just keep breathing sweetie, it's going to be okay—I promise sweetheart." Oliver comforted, giving her his free hand again. He cradled his newborn daughter in his other arm.

Lisa's labor had just started again, and he was nervous – he didn't think he could deliver another child. On the other hand, it comforted him immensely that he and Lisa were in this together. He may have not wanted to continue, but she had no choice, she had to continue.

"Olivah—uuuahahagghhh! Oh Olivah, this hurts, it's coming on awfully fast!"

"I know darling. It's going to be okay. Look, see you did this once already, and she's absolutely the most beautiful little thing I've ever seen." He held the baby up for her to see. "You wanna say hi to Mommy sweetheart. Say hi Mommy."

"Olivah, it hurts, so much, I told you before. Don't make me laugh! Hi schveetheart!" She smiled up at the baby. "I love you my schveetheart. Oh Olivah." She cringed, squeezing his hand.

"I'm sorry we couldn't get to the hospital, Lisa."

"That's okay- I vanted you vith me vhen I had them. I'm sorry you had to be."

"It's alright. I'm glad, I wanted to be…"

"You did?" she seemed surprised.

"I'd rather be with you- comforting you and watching my babies come to life than be in an old stuffy waiting room with other fathers who are just worried that it's going to be a girl instead of a boy."

Lisa understood what he was trying to say.

"I'm so glad she's a girl." He said. "I really wanted a lovely, beautiful, precious baby daughter." Lisa smiled.

"Olivah- that makes me so happy."

"Well, I really did. How are you feeling?"

"Like pushing again." She said, he put the baby down.

"I can see this one's head now too! So you can push again, okay?"

He was scared to death as he watched their second baby be born.

This second baby took a little longer than the first had and seemed to be causing Lisa even more pain. His wife's screaming unnerved him. He wished that he understood what she was saying. He had had years to learn Hungarian, why hadn't he done it? Even if for just this one moment? All he knew was that it probably had something to do with how awful he was for doing this to her. He understood a few words here and there after all.

"Olivah! I can't push anymore!" She put her head down and leaned forward. He rested his forehead on hers and took her chin in his hand again, brushing her cheek softly.

"Yes you can, you're almost done sweetheart. I've got you. There come on, that's it. Push, that's it darling. There you go. Push into the pain!" Lisa's scream was ear shattering. But the baby still wasn't coming out.

Before he could do anything else to respond to his wife's pain, someone knocked at the front door. Oliver collected the baby in his arms again.

"I'll be right back, is that okay darling?" He asked, only going because he knew it had to be the doctor. Lisa nodded, laying back and closing her eyes.

The doctor rushed in to be with Lisa and made Oliver, who still held the baby in his arms, wait in the living room, suggesting that he tend to the baby, maybe give her a bath. He was a little upset, because he knew he really should be with Lisa. But instead, he focused his attention on the baby. He wasn't sure if he could emotionally handle watching another baby be delivered anyway, even though it had gone so well. He was stunned.

The infant lye wide-awake in her father's arms, making varied cooing noises. She blinked a few times, her tiny brand new eyes adjusting to the light and the world around her. When Oliver looked down at his daughter, he noticed her big blue eyes staring back at him...she stared in just the same innocent, curious way her Mother did. Her eyes were crystal clear, bright as could be and seemed to encompass the whole baby. He was mesmerized, not only by those tiny eyes, but by everything about the little baby…mostly the fact that she was his flesh and blood and that she was so tiny and still warm from being inside Lisa.

"Hey, hey you're beautiful! Hi. Hi. I'm your Daddy honey. You're just simply beautiful sweetheart." He was overwhelmed by the girl and kissed her forehead as she yawned. Oliver felt awful that he was peacefully enjoying his new daughter when his wife was enduring hell in the next room. He couldn't wait to share the babies with her. "I love you my little Princess, more than anything."

After a while, Oliver felt as if he'd been waiting out in the living room for an eternity. He felt guilty he wasn't there to assuage his wife's pain and wished he knew what she'd been saying in Hungarian. He'd had years to learn it, why hadn't he? Even if just for those few important moments during the birth. After all she'd learned his language...sort of. He made a mental note to apologize to Lisa later for the language barrier. He knew he'd learn anyway, she said something about wanting to speak Hungarian to the children.

His newborn daughter had fallen asleep in his arms by this point. Twenty minutes had passed and he couldn't hear what was going on in the bedroom. He wondered if something was wrong. Hadn't the second baby been almost ready to be born when he'd gone to answer the door? Maybe he should have insisted he stay with his wife. Finally, the doctor came out, just as he was about to go back in.

"Congratulations Mr. Douglas! Your wife did wonderfully, and I must say," He paused, looking at the little girl in Oliver's arms. "that you did an excellent job too."

"Well thank you." He smiled. He'd hoped he'd done well.

"Anyway, it's a boy and a girl."

"Oh." He smiled, he was thrilled. "Thank you doctor! Thank you so-"

"You should go in and see them now."

Oliver wasted no time and rushed in to see Lisa and their son. Oliver hadn't considered that it might be boy-girl twins. How wonderful!

"Oh Lisa I…what the?" He was confused when he saw Lisa holding two babies in her arms. She looked happy, in fact, she was glowing and she smiled brightly at him. He looked down making sure he was holding a baby too. "...three of them?" He questioned, brightening suddenly.

"Triplets Daddy, a boy and twos girls."

"A boy and two…" He laughed, almost too thrilled to finish the sentence. He sat back on the bed with Lisa and kissed her forehead softly. She smiled as he turned his attention to the newborns in her arms. "Lisa- they're perfect. Are you alright?"

"I'm vonderful dahling."

"Oh wow. Wow." He laughed, holding one of the other babies' heads in his hand and kissing Lisa's lips softly. "Lisa, they're beautiful! Whose this, whose head am I holding?"

"That's your son shweetheart." Lisa smiled.

"My son—" Oliver laughed, happy but in disbelief. "He's beautiful darling. And our little girl, look at those big brown eyes! They're wonderful. And you're wonderful." Oliver said softly. "I love you my Lisa."

"I love you too Oliver." She smiled, kissing him. "Thank you so much."

"Oh Leesie, honey there's no need to thank me. I would have done anything I needed to make you and our babies okay."

"Vell girls, and Mommy's schveet little boy- I think Daddy's our hero." Lisa smiled as Oliver placed their first born blue-eyed daughter in her arms too. "Hi schweetheart." She soothed.

"I'm here, I'm here, I'm…who are they?" Eb exclaimed as he ran into the room, via the closet door. It fell to the ground, the noise causing the triplets to fuss.

"These are your baby sisters and brother!" Lisa said, cheerfully.

"They're not his…"

"Aren't they cute, Eb?"

"Wow! Three of them! And a baby brother too!"

"Yes, they triplets." Lisa smiled.

"Eb, I want you to go out get some milk from Eleanor, for the babies."

"Alright!" he said, happy to help, even though he wanted to stay and look at the babies whom he thought of as his newborn siblings.

"Oh I'm glad I get to stay vith you and you and you." She said, kissing the baby's foreheads. "Oh they so tiny, aren't they Daddy?"

"Yes. Are you sure you're alright Lisa?" He asked.

"Perfect."

"Oh Lisa, they're amazing. And they're beautiful and they're so tiny. Can you believe how tiny…Look at these fingers and their hands…and these itty bitty smiles."

"I know, they beautiful. I love you Olivah."

"I love you too Lisa my love."

"Hi my girls."

Oliver smiled, holding his newborn daughters. One had his wife's eyes and they were beautiful. The other had inherited his eyes…and he was amazed by them. Actually, he was completely amazed by both babies, and his newborn son, who slept soundly in the crib already. Oliver watched as the twin girl's tiny brand new eyes searched him. He and Lisa had decided to still consider the baby girls twins, especially given that with the exception of eye color; they were very close to being identical (and would remain that way through their lives).

Hours had passed and he was holding his two little girls in his arms. He was in his robe and paced back and forth in the living room. Lisa and their son were sleeping peacefully in the bedroom. The twins looked up at their Daddy with wide eyes that he noted, looked just like Lisa's. In fact, they looked very much like his Lisa. They had her blonde hair and her smile, and her little nose.

He was wanted so much to talk to the babies. It frightened him that he'd been a successful corporate lawyer, who had argued before the Supreme Court, and yet, these tiny babies rendered him almost completely speechless. He smiled down at them, studying them carefully has he cradled their little bald-heads in his hands. They were so tiny that their little bodies fit effortlessly in his arms.

"You're so beautiful my princesses, just like your Mommy." He finally said. "Happy Birthday. Daddy loves you both so much, yes he does." Oliver soothed.

"I love you more than I ever thought I could love anybody or anything." He told them. In a way, he couldn't believe he loved them more than his Lisa. She probably felt the same. He held the twins even after they'd drifted off to new baby sleep, and placed them in the cradle next to their brother.

"I love you my little girls, goodnight. And I love you my little boy and I promise I'm going to be a good Dad to you. Somehow I'll figure it out. I promise." Oliver smiled. "You deserve the very best." Oliver, as you know, had not wanted a son because of how his father had treated him. But after Lisa had given him a little boy, well…he was mesmerized by the infant, and determined to let the boy know he loved him everyday of his life.

"Hi darling," Lisa whispered as he climbed into bed.

"Hi honey!" He kissed her forehead. "You should be asleep."

"I know." She said. "How are you, how are our baby girls and our baby boy?"

"They're sleeping, and they're perfect. And they look like their Mommy."

Lisa smiled at this.

"But they good?"

"Wonderful, with full tummies and fast asleep. How you feeling?"

"Vonderful!" She said. "I'm really happy I'm a Mommy and that I'm not really fat and pregnant anymore."

"You're beautiful."

"I love you." She smiled. "And Olivah, you're a great fathah and our little boy is going to love his Daddy so much."

"I love you too." He smiled greatfully, as he began to kiss her.


	9. Naming is Hard to Do

Chapter 9- Naming is Hard to Do

Lisa was upset that her husband was going back to work leaving her in the house with newborn triplets she had really no idea what to do with. They lye awake, watching her, from a baby carrier, sitting up slightly on the kitchen counter. Lisa smiled tenderly at her three, watching them yawn and slobber and kick their tiny feet, or as she called them, 'feets'. She tried, haphazardly, to make bottles as she baby-talked to them.

Lisa, Oliver and Eb, who'd been feeding, changing and rocking the triplets for a week, were exhausted. They had not been prepared for three in any way and didn't have enough clothes, diapers or energy. But Lisa was ecstatic to be up and around again, and was beginning to get the hang of this baby thing...sort of.

Meanwhile, the town was confused. They'd heard that Mrs. Douglas had had a girl, then they'd heard it was a boy, and then it was back to girl….which one was it! Hooterville agonized over this question and couldn't wait to find out the answer. Neither could Eunice Douglas. Oliver's mother had again been misinformed by Joe Carson and was unbeknownst to Oliver and Lisa, in route to Hooterville.

"I vish vour Daddy vouldn't have left you alone vith me." Lisa said, holding one of each of the baby girl twin's tiny feet in her hands. "But ve'll be alvright, yes ve vill!" She soothed as she blew kisses in the smallest girl's tiny face, causing the baby to giggle, her eyes closed tightly. "I love that you're Mommy's girls, and Mommy's little boy!" The three cooed in reply to their mother. "Are you trying to talk?"

"How's it going Mommy?" Oliver asked, coming back inside.

"Oh, you did talk!" She exclaimed, turning to her son.

"Lisa, it's me, Oliver."

"Your name's Olivah too? And it's not Lisa, dahling, it's Mommy!"

"Lisa." Her husband cleared his throat. Lisa turned around and smiled.

"I know it vas you and not the baby dahling, I vas only kidding." She giggled.

The triplets were still unnamed and Lisa had been trying to name the baby boy Oliver for a week, to which Oliver kept saying no. Lisa was desperate to name the babies at this point; she thought it was cruel for them to be nameless and a week old.

"What are you doing?"

"Talking to the babies and trying to make a bottles..."

"And how's that going?" He asked, looking down to look at the triplets.

"Not vell."

"Honey it's just slightly warmed milk, that's all."

"I know, but I keep burning it. How in the vorld do these farm mothers do this, they said it vas so easy?"

"Lisa honey they just nurse..."

"Oh. Vell I'm not, doing that!"

"No one says you have to, now about those bottles, let me show you one more time, alright?" After numerous failed attempts to make even one bottle Lisa began to cry.

"I'm the vorst mother ever! Olivah! I can't do anything to keep them alive."

"I don't know about that honey. Look. Don't cry." He brought his crying wife to look at their triplets. "Look how exceptionally beautiful these three are. They're perfect and they're sweet and strong. Only one person could have done that for them: you. You are an exceptional mother because you love them so very much, and because you brought them into the world. You know that right Lisa?" She nodded. "Full term triplets are very rare and you worked really hard to get them to a place where they'd be born healthy." She smiled a little; she had worked very hard for that. "Look, I'll make the bottles, you do the feeding."

"If there's vone thing I can do, it's feed them."

"Lisa…Are you ready to have visitors? There are a lot of people who want to come and see you and the baby."

"Oliver, you forgot ve have three babies."

"I didn't forget. No one knows we had triplets. And I'm waiting to surprise everybody like you surprised me." He explained, lifting his son into his arms as the triplets began to fuss. Lisa did the same with their blue-eyed daughter. "Hey Nicky you don't need to cry sweetheart." Oliver said to his son. The baby blinked and moved his tiny foot.

"Vhat did you just call him?" She asked, lifting the second brown-eyed girl into her arms as she too began to cry.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. I'd…"

"Oh Olivah! Nicky! I love it! Hello Nicky it's Mommy shweetheart, yes!" Lisa baby-talked to the small boy.

"Nick-" Oliver stopped. He supposed Nicky was cute. Changing his mind, he smiled. "Alright fine. Nicholas Oliver Douglas."

"I love it Olivah!" Lisa smiled, leaning into her husband's arms to blow kisses in the baby's face, causing the infant boy to give a hint of a smile. "He's such a beautiful boy! He's a handsome boy!" Lisa was delighted.

"They are beautiful. Lisa. What do you think of Lucy and Olivia for our girls?"

"Oh thatz cute." She smiled. "What do you think, Lucy?" Lisa asked the third born brown-eyed baby girl. She yawned, her tiny eyes shut tightly. "Mommy likes it, but I don't know if she vants to be Lucy. How fair is it to be a week old and not have a name? Right Gizi?"

"Gizi?" Oliver questioned.

"Yes. She looks like my Aunt Gizi!"

"She's a baby."

"But she does."

"Well…"

"Please?" He knew that she wanted to give the girls Hungarian names, and they were quirky, but cute names. Why shouldn't he give into something she wanted, after all, she had left her country, and then her beloved New York to be with him where he wanted to live, right?

"Alright," he smiled, "as long as I can call our first born Zsizsi."

Suddenly the phone began to ring.

"Oh what now!" He yelled, laying Nicky down and rushing to climb the telephone poll. The triplets started crying again at their father's yell.

"Olivah!" She cried after him, turning to calm the babies. Oliver ignored the phone and came back down to help Lisa. He kissed the girls' tiny foreheads and they stopped crying.

"Oh they're Daddy's girls!" Lisa squealed, noting that it only took a little affection from their father for them to be calmed.

"Well, maybe." He said,

"Isn't he schveet vhen you get to know him?" Lisa cooed to the girls. "He really is. Daddy's a schveet man! He's a good man! Yes he is!"

Oliver laughed to himself as he turned to go back up the telephone poll as it began to ring for the second time…he knew this was the exact opposite of what she'd said in Hungarian last week while she was in labor.

The phone call had been from Sam Drucker; Eunice had just stepped off the Cannonball and was being taken to the Douglas farm by Mr. Haney, her usual Hooterville chuffer. Oliver and Lisa were surprised by this news and decided to play a little trick/surprise on Eunice. Oliver waited outside for his mother, who was of course arguing with Haney when she arrived.

"Mother, please, be a little quieter the babies are asleep." He approached her, helping her off Haney's truck. He ignored Haney's attempts to converse and led his mother onto the porch.

"How's Lisa?"

"She's wonderful mother."

"How's the babi…babies?"

"Great- twenty fingers, twenty toes…" Eunice gave Oliver a look of great shock and almost tripped. "Mother, Lisa had twins."

"Twins? Oh my poor Lisa!" Oliver's mother exclaimed, running into the house. Oliver did not follow her and stayed outside to work.

Eunice had been partially happy at the prospect of grandchildren, and partially very upset. Of course she'd wanted grandchildren, but not at the cost of damaging Lisa, who she thought of as a sweet, delicate creature.

"Lisa!"

"Oh hello mother! Shu!" Lisa was now pacing he living room, holding one of the girls on her shoulder. The other was lying there in her bassinet and Nicky was nowhere in sight.

"You had two of them, how are you my darling?"

"Tired, but aren't they so cute." She baby talked, turning the baby around in her arms. She smiled, rocking the girl she was holding.

"Oh Lisa! Taking care of your own babies!"

"It's alright, I love them so much. I love taking care of them."

"Oh Lisa, what has this place done to you?"

"No really mother, I love them. I wouldn't want anyone else caring for them. Here, you want to hold one of the girls?"

"Girls?"

"Yes, they're two little girls."

"Oh they're little girls! How absolutely marvelous!" This made her have a change of heart a little bit.

"Are they identical?"

"No, this is baby blue eyes and the shleeping baby is baby brown eyes. This is Zsizsi an shleeping baby brown eyes is Gizi."

"You gave them…Hungarian names."

"Yes, and aren't they so cute?"

Lisa was obviously quite pleased with this, but truthfully, Mrs. Douglas had expected something more…Americanized. She would discuss this with her son later.

"Here, this is the vone vith your eyes." Lisa put Zsizsi in her mother-in-law's arms. The tiny girl fussed a little then finally calmed down. "Her name is Zsizsi Olivia (after Olivah) Douglas. And in a minute, you can hold her sister." Lisa smiled, picking up her youngest, Gizi. "Hello Gizi Mommy's little darling." She smiled, beginning to nurse Gizi. Lisa had, in the wake of her many-botched bottle making attempts, decided to just breastfeed.

Mrs. Douglas senior glanced back at the newborn in her arms. She readily recalled Mr. Carson calling her 'grandma,' about six months before. Well, he was right. She smiled down at baby…Zsizsi was her name? She only remembered the blue eyed one was called Olivia, for Oliver.

"Lisa!"

"Hum? Yes Mother?" She asked. Mrs. Douglas was virtually disgusted that her daughter-in-law was nursing in her presence.

"Lisa! You can't be serious!"

"Well…Oliver convinced me it would be easier, he got sick of trying to teach me how to make a bottle, and told me I would get shkinnier sooner. All of the farm mothers do it, and besides…my mother did it."

"Yes, but Lisa, you….!"

"It's alvright Mother." She laughed. "Aren't they so cute, I love them so much."

"I bet you didn't say that during the birth."

"Oh no, I vas cursing Oliver in Hungarian."

"Oliver? He wouldn't even have been there, he…"

"Oh no, mother, he delivered Zsiszi."

Mrs. Douglas was highly alarmed at this, and bolted from the house with baby Zsizsi still in her arms, in order to question her son who was working in the barn. Now she was sure he was crazy. She'd have to have him committed!

"Oliver, how could you!" she demanded, rather than asked.

"How could I what?"

"How could you expect your wife to deliver these beautiful sweet babies at home, with just you?"

"I didn't-"

"She said you delivered them…here."

"I did."

"How could you!"

"Oh Mother, it wasn't a purposeful thing. Eb had taken the car and Lisa had started having pains, I called him home, I called the doctor, but the twins were too fast, and there they were, born in the house." He explained, wrapping his arm around her in a calming fashion and taking her back in the house.

"Hum, just like you."

"Yes, I know. Just like Daddy, right Zsizsi."

"And another thing, Oliver those names! And how could you let her take care of her own babies? And….breastfeed?"

"Mothers have been doing both for centuries. And country mothers…."

"If you insist, I will take Lisa and those girls, and…."

"You will not take my wife and children anywhere. They are fine Mother."

"Mother, ve veally are fine." Lisa came back into the living room, holding Gizi still and now baby Nicky too Eunice was still looking at her son and didn't notice Lisa holding two babies. Lisa and Oliver smiled at each other this was such a fun trick/surprise.

"And Mother- do you want to see my son?"

"What?" Eunice was about to faint, Oliver grabbed her arm, it was then that she noticed that Lisa now held two babies…while she held one.

"Lisa and I thought we'd surprise you- we had baby triplets Mother. Two girls and a little boy." Lisa smiled, hiding Nicky had been a cute idea.

"A little boy!" Eunice didn't hide the fact that she was thrilled about this. "Let me guess, he's Oliver Jr.!"

"Not quite, Nicholas Oliver."

"And ve call him Nicky!" Lisa enthused.

"Nicky." Eunice actually thought this was cute. "Oh Oliver! He reminds me of baby you!"

"He does!" Lisa was excited by this.

Hours later, Eunice had left and Lisa and Oliver were in bed with the triplets, nursing and rocking them to sleep. Lisa held the girls and Oliver cradled his baby son.

"I can't believe that woman." Oliver said of his mother. "She's wanted a grandchild from us for years, and now that she finally gets one, no I'm sorry, three…she has to criticize every single little thing."

"She vasn't that bad dahling." She kissed him softly. "Mother means vell. Oh Zsizsi shweetheart, vhat's wrong?" Lisa whispered. Zsizsi fussed as even as she sucked on a pacifier.

"So I hear, Zsizsi is Zsizsi Olivia Douglas. I thought we weren't finished naming our girls."'

"Vhere did you get a cute little Hungarian name like Zsizsi?" She asked.

"I spent some time in Hungary, remember?" He asked, kissing her nose. She smiled at him. "Anyway…back to Zsizsi Olivia." He teased.

"Zsizsi's Zsizsi Olivia, I like Olivia, it's like Olivah, but for a girl. So she gets to be named for her Daddy too."

"Zsizsi Olivia Douglas. I love it Lisa honey, thank you for wanting to name our daughter after me that's precious."

"Vell for someone who has her Daddy's eyes..." Lisa smiled, leaning into her husband, getting lost in his eyes for just a few moments. He kissed her lips tenderly. "Now Gizi, vhat kind of a middle name vould you like?"

"You can't ask her…"

"Yes I can."

"How about Gizi Marie?" He suggested.

"It's so French-Hungarian, I love it!" She squealed.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" He asked Lisa.

"About vhat?" She replied.

"Triplets."

Lisa smiled flirtatiously.

"The doctors in New Yvork told me I was having vone baby, the doctor in Hootersville said it vas twos…..but I knew it vas three. I just vanted to surprise you!"

"That's sweetest surprise ever Lisa."

. "Olivah?" Lisa lye against him slightly.

"Hum?"

"Are you still happy we did this?"

"Oh, of course. They are amazing Lisa. Thank you for these babies. They are the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life. Next to their beautiful mother."

This made Lisa smile tremendously.

"Thank you darling. I love them too, and I love you." She leaned in for a slow and passionate kiss.


	10. A Kiss…err House to Build A Dream On

Chapter 10- A Kiss…err House to Build A Dream On

Thanks so much for the reviews everyone! They were very uplifting for me and I really appreciate them so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, as I am too! Please feel free to weigh in and keep the reviews coming!

P.S. I hope no one's offended at the references to breastfeeding made in the story.

Lisa was exhausted. Somebody always needed something from her. She was sick of feeding babies and changing diapers. It seemed like someone was always slobbering on her or crying in her arms. And yet, she loved every minute of it.

"Oh vow (wow), you're so perfect." Lisa smiled, playing with baby Zsizsi's fingers as she nursed. Lisa pressed her face into the top of the tiny baby's bald head. "I love you little baby. I love you so much." She whispered to Zsizsi. Gizi burst out crying just then.

"It's alvight sveetheart, you'll get your turn." She soothed, patting the girl's stomach. She stopped crying at her Mother's touch and sighed. "Oh Olivah I didn't eat enough. She's so tiny!" Lisa exclaimed sadly.

"Lisa, there was only so much room for three of them. It's alright."

"But she's only four pounds!"

"She's fine Lisa. And she's not four pounds anymore, it's been three weeks and all three of them are bigger."

"I can see her ribs Olivah! She's such a skinny baby and babies should be chubby, and none of my three are chubby!"

"Honey she's eating a lot, she's breathing well, she'll be fine, she'll get bigger. What do you think we're working on right now…we're fattening them up. There you go, thataboy!" He said proudly as he finished giving Nicky his bottle. "Do you like the new house Lisa?"

"Oh yes dahling, I love it. I can't vait to move in." He kissed her lips softly.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired, but totally in love vith the four best people…" Her eyes were lost in his as they began to kiss again.

"Me too." He smiled. Just then Gizi's tears started again, prompting her father to exchange her brother for her. "There's my girl!" He soothed as he rocked her, getting her to be quiet again.  
"Oh Olivah, that's a hungry cry! I feel so bad, it's so hard, I vish ve could take care of all three of them at vonce!"

"Me too, but they understand, they'll…"

"Olivah can't you give her a bottle, Zsizsi's still…" She looked down at Zsizsi who always took her sweet time nursing.

"We ran out of milk, Nicky got the last little bit."

Lisa looked up at him, alarmed, with wide eyes.

"No milk Olivah?"

"Nope."

"Vhat about Elean-" Lisa asked of the cow, but her husband cut her off, shaking his head.

"No. No more breast milk, no more cows' milk."

"Vell…the three of you sure have been gorging yourselves!" Lisa teased.

"Yes they have." He gave Gizi to Lisa when she was finally done with Zsizsi.

"Baby girl it's alvight!" She soothed as Gizi began to fuss. She finally settled down when her mother began to feed her.

"Now, you sure you're alright with me taking you to the Bradley's tonight?" He asked. The plan was that Lisa and the babies would stay at the Shady Rest Hotel while Oliver and Eb moved everything to the new house.

"Yes. The Bradley girls vant to play vith the babies and I need the rest."

"Oh that sounds wonderful Lisa, you do need to rest so much."

Theoretically, it worked out perfectly. There was one Douglas baby for every Bradley girl. Billie Jo, the blonde and the oldest took Zsizsi, Bobbie Jo was thrilled with Gizi and finally Betty Jo, the youngest, the red-head whom Eb had dated once or twice while Lisa was pregnant, took Nicky. Betty Jo, as her Mother and sister's noted, had always said she only wanted to have little boys when she grew up and was delighted by Nicky Douglas.

Lisa found it hard to relax, she wasn't used to someone else having her babies and even though she was exhausted, she didn't know if she liked that. Knowing she didn't want to lye down, (Lisa was still so sick of laying down), Kate invited her to sit and talk and sew with her while the girls stayed in the other room with the babies.

"How you feelin?" Kate asked.

"Tired." Lisa laughed, laying her head back in the chair and closing her eyes. "But so happy—" She smiled.

"Aww, I know how that is—but I couldn't' imagine having three of them at once all the same age."

"I don't know, I almost think it vould be vorse if they vere a couple of years apart. At least this vay they all doing the same thing at vone time!" Lisa said cheerfully.

"That's one way to look at it."

It was then that they heard Nicky begin to cry.

"Oh Nicky! Nicky!" Lisa burst, getting up and running into the other room to see her son.

"It's okay Mrs. Douglas, he's alright." Bobby Jo informed as she rocked Nicky.

"I know Bobby Jo, but that's a hungry cry, he just needs his Mommy to feed him and then you can hold him again. Oh thank you girls so much for the rest! Ve'll be right back." Lisa said, taking Nicky in her arms and heading up the stairs.

"How's it going girls?" Kate asked her daughters as she came back into the parlor. "Where's Mrs. Douglas?"

"She took Nicky upstairs to feed him."

"Again."

"How is she supposed to get a rest if she runs in here every time one of them makes a sound."

"Now girls I know it doesn't make much sense to you right now, you probably figure that since she just had three babies, she must be pretty tired, she must really want some time away from them…not really…but you won't understand, not until you're a new Mother."

"Oh I can't wait!" Bobbie Jo squealed, hugging Zsizsi.

"Yes you can!" Kate reassured her adolescent daughter as the two still holding babies handed them to her. "…What's this?"

"We have to be at the dance in an hour Mom!" Betty Jo reminded as the three dashed up the stairs.

"Oh. Do you girls like all this being passed around?" Kate asked tiny Gizi and Zsizsi. She smiled down at them, thinking of when her own three where that tiny, babies always made her happy. She looked up suddenly when the front door to her hotel opened and Mr. Douglas came in.

"Hi."

"Hi Mrs. Bradley…am I wrong in thinking that those are mine?" He asked.

"No, not at all. Here are your girls."

"Thank you." He smiled, taking them in his arms.

"Mrs. Douglas is upstairs feeding Nicky."

"Oh yes, thank you so much, you've been so hospitable as always Mrs. Bradley." Oliver smiled genuinely at Kate as he went to go check on Lisa.

Oliver was forever grateful to Mrs. Bradley as the person who'd helped Lisa the most when they first got there, with cooking and then with the babies and so many other things. Initially, she'd gotten Lisa to stay in Hooterville with him by telling her the story of how she'd had to give up her career in show business to stay in Hooterville with her late husband who dreamed of opening a hotel.

"You are so sveet! Did you know vhat? Ve're going home tonight, yes ve are, for the first time, ve're going to our new home! Yeah, von't that be fun my baby boy!" Lisa squealed at Nicky, she barely noticed as Oliver came in the room.

"Hi darling." He smiled, laying the girls in their bassinet. "Are you ready to go home now?"

She smiled. "I like the sound of that Olivah Vendel."

The triplets were content as they were dressed, fed, changed, and finally put in the car. Lisa held their shared basinet close to her. They were wrapped in a blanket from heat to toe, their tiny faces covered protectively, but she wished that Oliver would've driven with the car top up.

"There Lisa, what do you think?" He asked when they walked up to the house from the car.

"Oh Olivah, it's beautiful!" Lisa smiled.

She couldn't believe her eyes as she surveyed the house from Oliver's arms. He'd carried her over the threshold in true Oliver Douglas fashion. Lisa had failed to realize how starved she'd been for space before. This house was huge, and she was right, they did not have enough furniture to fill it up. He put her down.

"Olivah, thank you, I love it." She said, grabbing his cheeks and pulling him in for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her back. He kept her in his embrace as their lip lock ended, resting his forehead against hers. She turned to survey the house a little and he hugged her from behind, his arms wrapped around her waist tightly still.

"I love it too Lisa." He told her, and then suddenly remembered something very important. He went back outside and brought the triplets in, they were in their pram on the front porch. "Now let's see what the babies think."

"Oh, my darlings! Mommy's so sorry she had to leave you outside. Oh!" She soothed, lifting Gizi into her arms. Oliver picked up Zsizsi and Nicky.

"It's hard to believe- isn't it?"

"Hum? You mean starting over, in a new house, vith our own children."

"Yes. Come on, I'll give you the grand tour." He smiled, taking her free hand in his. Each of them cradled a baby (or in Oliver's case, two) as they began their walk through the new house. The tiny Douglas babies drifted off to sleep by the time that their parents finished looking at the new kitchen.

Lisa loved the big white farmhouse, it wasn't exactly Park Avenue, but it was lovely, bright; spacious and above all, clean with solid, finished walls and everything. The downstairs had a much more modern kitchen, that honestly confused Lisa even more than the one she already had, but she wasn't about to admit that to Oliver. It also consisted of a formal dining room, something she'd missed terribly in the past nine months. The rest was living room, with a great big, warm hearth that seemed to make the whole house inviting.

Lisa had never been upstairs in the house and wondered what she'd find. All Oliver would tell her was that he'd finished the nursery, one room for all three babies for now, and that there were six bedrooms in total.

"Oh it's beautiful!" Lisa squealed. The baby pink walls were just as she had wanted them. Mrs. Bradley's rocking chair sat by the window, and an ornate chandelier, from New York, hung from the ceiling.

"You like it?"

"I love it Olivah!" She kissed him again.

"I'm so glad sweetheart." He replied with another kiss. "What do you three think?" He asked even though they were fast asleep.

"Vell, they're certainly villing to sleep here. And you have threes cribs!"

Oliver and Lisa lye the babies in their cribs.

"Of course! We have three babies."

"Thank you for getting it Olivah, that's vone less thing for Mommy to do! Oh you so sveet of a man!" She burst as she kissed him.

"Come on, he took her hand. Let's put the babies down for their night's sleep, I want to show you our bedroom."

"Olivah!" She was surprised she knew she was nowhere near ready for that. She'd just had triplets less than a month before.

"You know what I mean." He laughed, kissing her cheek. "Our bedroom and our bathroom and the rest of the house…and the little rose garden that's almost as pretty as you." She smiled, thinking that was a nice save and took his hand as they left their baby triplets to sleep.

Oliver surprised Lisa with a candlelit dinner in their new dining room. She was absolutely thrilled to get dressed up and have a romantic dinner with her husband. She wore a dress she was still a bit too chubby for but could have never dreamed of wearing while she was pregnant. It was champagne colored and covered in diamond-like jewelry and it was one of her very favorites. It made her feel like a Princess.

The last real dinner she'd been to was in New York with Oliver, three months before when he spoke at an important dinner. She had gone despite the fact that she was very pregnant and had only returned from her stay with Mother a few days before. Less than a week after that she went into labor and was put on bed rest. Needless to say she hadn't really had a nice dinner out like she was used to, since then.

"Olivah, this is so sveet." She said, she was crying.

"Honey, you don't need to cry."

"But Olivah you're doing so much to make me feel at home here. It's so sveet, it makes me feel so loved."

"Oh Lisa you are so loved."

"I love you that much too."

"I love you my Lisa and I'm so excited to start this new life with you."

"And I with you. I wish I could do something to show you how much I love you Olivah."

"Oh but you have. Every time I look at the babies, I'm reminded of my love for you and yours for me."

"Oh!" This made new tears pour down her cheeks. "It's, it's like I vas telling mothah, that the baby, vell babies are the ultimate expression of your love for me and mine for you: three whole new little people that are my flesh and blood and your flesh and blood. There's really nothing more romantical than that."

"Oh Lisa love, I would agree that there isn't."

She smiled and laughed through her tears. He reached across the table to wipe them off her face. Lisa grabbed Oliver's hand in her own and held it tightly against her cheek. Oliver leaned across the table and placed a sweet kiss on his wife's lips, she responded in kind and kissed him back. Just then they heard a baby begin to cry again.


	11. Our First Birthday Party

Lisa hated it when Oliver worked late. It was one of the few reasons that she was glad to have left New York. She could hardly believe it had been almost two years! She was lonely, worried and waiting to talk to Oliver about something. They were staying at Mother's while they were in New York and she was out of town. So Lisa was alone with the babies, at least for the evening.

As Lisa fed her now eleven month old triplets their dinner and played with them, she could barely fathom how much they had grown in just one short year. Being in New York again, reminded her that she couldn't believe how fundamentally her life had changed in that time. Before she and Oliver had moved away, he'd been farm crazy and she'd been very secretly baby crazy…something she hadn't yet admitted to Oliver. She was still, and always would be so thrilled to have been blessed with triplets. She considered them God's special gift.

And tonight was the night that her special gifts refused to go to bed. Maybe they just wanted to keep her company? Just days away from official toddlerhood, the triplets enjoyed playing, laughing and generally being happy. Of course, Oliver believed that the children's happiness was due to their having been born on a farm. But Lisa observed that they were happy wherever they went…even in New York. She knew there was hope they were really more like her!

She loved who her children were becoming. Zsizsi was bold, fearless and had been walking for months now. Nicky was contemplative and thought everything was funny. Finally Gizi was shy and sweet, she reminded her father of her mother in everyway. These personalities found their way of coming out in every part of the day and bath time was absolutely no exception. Lisa expected Oliver to come back during the triplet's bath…she could sure use the help, he was usually the only one who could get Zsizsi to stop splashing her brother and sister, but bath time came and went without Oliver and so did bottle time.

Lisa was worried by the time she was putting the babies in their crib. What could he be doing? To her, this was an insult and a repeat of that awful Amy Collins episode several months before when the babies were still very small. On the other hand, she'd been very wrong about his plans to take a bus to South America, hadn't she?

"Good night my shweethearts." She said, kissing their tiny blonde heads. "Mommy loves you three very much."

Finally she heard Oliver come in, and even though the kids were still not sleeping, she left them to go greet her husband.

"Hi darling." He said, wrapping his arms around her as she began to kiss him.

"How vas your day?"

"Hum…I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"How are the kids?"

"Awake in their crib."

"So they won't sleep?"

"No. I think they vant Daddy to say good night."

"Well, I would love to say good night to my kids." He said, rushing into the nursery. "Hello baby girls! Hi Nicky honey! Daddy missed you today. I promise I'll play with you tomorrow, alright? Now it's time to go to sleep."

The three smiled at their Dad. Lisa was not shocked that they complied and went to sleep; she had known they were just waiting up for him too.

"I'm so glad I get you all to my self tonight." He laughed. She giggled sensually biting her lip and wrapping her arms around his neck. The babies were out like a light and Oliver and Lisa knew they would likely not be up until morning. They kissed each other as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Did I tell you I love you?" Lisa asked.

"You told me …did I tell you?"

"Yes darling. You did."

"Do you miss the city?"

"No." She said. "Not at all."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Wow that's a surprise."

"Vell, you see. This evening, I vas playing vith the girls and vith our little boy, and I gave them their dinner and their baths and I vas laughing vith them and cuddling them, and I looked around, and there vas no one to share it vith."

"Oh Lisa, I'm so sorry."

"And finally, vhen I put them to bed- you still veren't home…and it vas scary Olivah. I didn't think that you vould come home."

"Lisa! Vhen have I not come home? You mean everything to me. You're the only one for me."

"I don't know- I just met that I don't like it vhen you're not here, and vhen you're thinking about going to South America…"

"You have nothing to worry about my Lisa. I love you and our girls and boy. And I don't miss the city either. I was working, got stuck at this dinner and I wanted to be home with you and our babies." He explained, this was almost as ridiculous as when she had thought he was taking the kids to South America with that woman…what was her name? He couldn't even remember now.

"Alvight." She smiled, feeling more confident. "But I do have something we need to talk about."

"It can wait. We're going home tomorrow and I just want to have a completely carefree evening, alright?"

"Vell, it von't be fun!" She was obviously teasing.

"Oh I don't think you'll care for it a bit. Even though I may've brought you

something from a certain jeweler."

"That doesn't sound like me at all." She frowned, but then burst into a small giggle.

"Now, will you let me show you how much I really love you?"

"Yes sir." She teased, batting her eyelashes seductively as he began to kiss her again, she wrapped his arms around him as he sunk further into her lips.

"Olivah-" She whispered when their kiss ended.

"Yes dahling."

"Vhere's vhat you brought back from Cartier?"

….

"You don't think we have to worry about her, do you?" Oliver asked of Gizi, who sat patiently on his wife's lap. Her brother and sister were busy running up and down the aisles of the Cannonball.

"Oh no, she's alvight. She's just not ready to valk just yet." Lisa assured, smiling down at Gizi. She knew she wasn't so athletic, but would start talking first.

"Nicky, Zsizsi stop, come here!"

"Olivah! Be a little softer, don't yell at them just for running."

"Lisa- when the train stops they're going to go flying."

At that, the train finally came to a complete stop in Hooterville. Oliver was wrong. Zsizsi and Nicky came through the stop unscathed; they were thoroughly amused by their having slid half way across the car. Oliver, on the other hand, hit his nose on the seat in front of him, of course, spiking both Lisa and Gizi's concern for him.

It was moments like these that seriously made Oliver wonder why he preferred this place to the city. Knowing he'd been injured Nicky and Zsizsi willingly took their father's hand, and got off the train with him.

"You look right pretty today as always Mrs. Douglas." Floyd Smoot uttered as the Douglas' got off the train.

"Oh thank you!" Lisa began conversing with him as Oliver gave him an annoyed glare and then called for Eb, (who was already waiting by the car) to come and get their bags.

"I'll see you tonight Mrs. Douglas!" Floyd called as Lisa, who carried Gizi on her hip followed her husband and other children toward Sam Drucker's store.

"Oh no you von't Mr. Shmoot, dahling, it's the triplet's birthdays and ve have so much to do, but we'll see you later!"

"Nice going Floyd." Charlie muttered.

"Yeah-" Eb added, "You almost blew it!"

"What."

"You almost let the cat out of the bag..."

"Oh about the triplets par-" Eb and Charlie quickly covered Floyd's mouth; he was speaking far too loudly.

"Yes about the triplets' birthday party."

"Boy I sure hope this works." Eb muttered as he watched his adoptive family go into the general store. He sure didn't want to be out a job and a family too. He had arranged this party in the hopes that the Douglas' wouldn't decide to go back to New York. Everyone in town loved them, and the baby triplets too.

"Wow, they grew!" Was the first thing Sam Drucker uttered upon seeing the Douglas' enter his store.

He wasn't sure that the triplets really had grown, it was just code for Hank who was waiting in the back of the store. Now he could pass the word on to everyone else that they were finally home…if he remembered to. This was Hank Kimball after all, and we all know he had a memory that rivaled the smartest of elephants. It was the triplet's birthday, the day the whole town had been waiting for since the Douglas' had left for New York. Sam Drucker hoped that the Douglas' would give him some indication of their plans…New York wise. Would they stay, would they go?

"Oh I know!" Lisa giggled, running her fingers over Gizi's soft blonde hair as the girl sat on her hip. "They had a growths spurt the last time they were in New York too."

"When were they ever in New York?" Oliver asked, knowing they hadn't ever been there before last week.

"Vhen I was pregnant. Remember, I came back and I was the size of a house."

"Oh yes, how could I ever have forgotten that." He said, almost to himself.

"Well whenever, they're so much bigger it's amazing! Anyway, what brings you by?" He asked, intending to rush them, after all he had to get to this party before they did…he was so glad that Haney was such a good staler!

"Well, I wanted to see who I would ask about raising cattle…." Sam, having just been hit on the ankle by Hank (the signal the Douglas's needed to get going), decided to cut Oliver off and came out from behind the counter.

"Well, you have to go to the county building bureau for that, the Monroe brothers ought to be able to give you more information. I'm going to be closing now…" He explained, pushing the whole family toward the door.

"Closing?" Lisa questioned.

"Yeah- I've got an engagement to go to, as a matter of fact I'll see you there, uh later, uh…when I see you. Night!" He exclaimed.

"Hank, why'd you make me do that? You almost made me give it away!" Sam yelled. He hated to sound like a fool or a jerk, he was usually such an informed, orderly person. How else could he run most of the town's civic affairs single-handedly?

"Ask the Monroe brother's about raising Cattle?" Oliver questioned once they were all on the other side of the door.

"Olivah I thought you were going to ask about raising minks?" Lisa protested as they headed for the car.

Oliver and Lisa were exhausted and very thankful that Eb was driving them home. They were tired, but had decided to do something special for the triplets that night. After all, it wasn't every day that they had a first birthday, right? Oliver was angered and nearly jumped out of the car when he saw Mr. Haney's truck parked across the road, blocking their only way home. Nicky Douglas giggled, knowing that this should be an enjoyable argument to watch. Anytime his father and Haney got together, you could ensure that an interesting fight would ensue. Gizi thought it was stressful and would probably cry as soon as the yelling started, which she usually did. Even though Zsizsi didn't understand the nature of the discord, she wanted to get involved, feeling that she could probably best Haney in an argument…she just had to learn to talk first.

"Welcome home!" He said to the adults and then turned to the triplets.  
"And happy birthday!"

"Thank you."

"We don't want whatever you're selling, we just want you to move your truck so we can go home, we're very tired."

"So you aren't' interested in a genu-wine three layered birthday-cake with…"

"No." Oliver began.

"About about crape paper and balloons, with…"

"No."

"Well, you certainly aren't in the birthday spirit."

"I don't have to be in the…" He began yelling and sure enough, Gizi began to cry. "Oh honey, honey I'm so sorry!" Oliver stopped to comfort Gizi as Lisa rocked her. "Daddy's so sorry!"

"What about cattle?" Haney asked, knowing full well that Mr. Douglas had interest in raising cattle. This caught Oliver's ear and he looked up.

"What about cattle?"

"You could buy a heard from me."

"You don't have a heard."

"Well then what about this genu-wine heard, here in the back of my truck?" He asked, lifting up the sheet covering the bed of his truck to reveal a single cow, probably a sister of Eleanor's.

"Mr. Haney, that's just one cow!" Eb charged.

"Not just any cow the…" Suddenly, Alf and Ralph sped right by them on a motorcycle. There was his sign.

"Well, I better be going." Haney wrapped up his sales pitch and simply drove away, leaving the Douglas' totally perplexed.

"Now, here's my surprise." Eb began, pulling up to the barn.

"Eb we're just tired, we want to go home!" Oliver told him, but Eb made the family get out and go into the barn. Lisa thought she heard music, but she wasn't sure. When Eb opened the barn doors, Oliver and Lisa were shocked to see the entire town in their barn, under two big banners, one reading: Happy Birthday, and the other: Welcome Home! The whole family was totally overwhelmed, especially Lisa who began to cry. The Bradley girls, who so loved the triplets each came and took one of them.

"May I have this dance birthday boy?" Lisa laughed when she heard Betty Jo ask her son.

"Eb what's this about?"

"Well, we were all afraid you'd go back to New York." Sam explained.

"Yeah and so Eb decided to, to….what did he do again?" Hank inquired.

"Eb asked us to help him throw this party." Kate finished, "because he didn't want to be out a family."

"Oh Eb dahling, you'll never be out a family vhere ve're concerned…none of you will." Lisa announced, kissing his cheek.

Oliver had wanted to go home, but he was so touched that everyone went to this trouble. So he took his wife in his arms and they joined all the other people who were dancing. After all, this was better than going dancing in New York, which they hadn't been able to do.

"See Lisa. I told you country people were friendly." He smiled down into her big brown eyes.

"Oh Olivah you vere right! And ve can't ever leave. I'm sure this is our home." Lisa smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck as they danced.

"Me too Lisa my love. Me too."

Oliver and Lisa let their eyes dart around the room. Hooterville sure had it's characters; but they were wonderful, caring characters. Right now, Betty Jo still had a hold on Nicky, whom she adored, Gizi had escaped into the arms of Eb, who she loved as if he were her big brother and Zsizsi was helping Arnold Ziffel put on a new record.

"Lisa…."

"I know vhat you're going to say Olivah, but he's a clean pig, he goes to school. He babysits. He can vatch Zsizsi for a few minutes Olivah."

"But he...ohhhh!" Oliver yelled, grabbing his foot as he felt someone step on it. It was Hank Kimball who was (unfortunately for him) trying to dance with Ralph Monroe and get away from her at the same time.

"Oh dahling are you alvight?" Lisa asked.

"Hey cool new dance Mr. Douglas!" Kimball yelled as he also began to hop around on one foot.

"It's hard to believe that one year ago we were having triplets in this bed." Hours had passed and Oliver and Lisa were relieved to finally be in bed.

"Correction. I vas having triplets in this bed." That hurt, she wasn't going to let him take the credit for that, not much of it anyway.

"I'm sorry Lis-"

"No darling, you know vhat I met."

"You know Lisa, I need to thank you so much every day for our beautiful baby triplets. It's just a miracle that without even trying, or talking about it, we just happened to get pregnant, and with three of them!" Lisa noticed that he looked at her with such grateful honest in his eyes.

He'd been so great about this baby thing for someone who hadn't wanted to have babies. Now she realized she needed to be honest with him. He hadn't wanted to talk in New York, but he was going to have to here.

"Olivah…" She began nervously.

"What Lisa?" He smiled, turning toward her.

"Olivah, you know how you vere farm crazy before we moved to New York and you bought a farm vithout telling me?" She decided this was the best way to begin.

"Yeah..." He admitted, uneasily, knowing some kind of confession was coming.

"Vell. I vas just as baby crazy as you were farm crazy…and started trying to have a baby vithout telling you and that's how the triplets got here and vow look at the time, it's late, good night!" She rolled over onto her side and quickly shut her eyes.

"Wait? Are you telling me you purposely…" He turned her back over to face him and she sat up again.

"Yes." She winced, afraid that he would be upset. "I stopped taking my pills because I really vanted to have a baby."

"Oh Lisa! You're so wonderful." He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her lips.

"You aren't mad?"

"Mad, how could I ever be mad? If I were mad at you it would mean I'd wanna live without Gizi's smile, or Zsizsi's eyes, or Nicky's laugh."

"Or Molly's sweetness."

"Mo- whose Molly?"

"You'll get to meet her in a few months."

"Lisa! Really?" She nodded. "Oh Lisa we're having another…" Oliver was ecstatic at the thought that he was going to get to be a father again and so soon! It was a little too soon, but he was in love with the idea.

"Mr. Douglas!" He heard Haney call. This time Oliver was really mad, now he wasn't just keeping him from getting home quickly, he had just ruined one of the happiest moments in his life!

"What?" Oliver got up and yelled out the second story window. Lisa followed him closely and looked down at Mr. Haney also.

"I brought you the cow you bought." Haney was standing in the Douglas' yard with that same cow from earlier in the day.

"What cow, what are you-"

"Darling that's Molly!"

"That's Molly!" He was perplexed and disappointed now. "But Lisa I thought that you you, uh…" He didn't finish speaking, but pointed to her stomach.

"Oh no dahling!" She laughed. "Mr. Haney, just leave her in the barn! Good night!" Lisa called and shut the window.

"Lisa what did you-"

"Vith four growing children ve need two cows." She laughed, leaving the room to go back to the nursery where the triplets were sleeping.

Four growing children? So she was pregnant?

"Four growing children?" He questioned.

"Yes. Zsizsi, Nicky, Gizi and Eb." She smiled, looking down at Zsizsi.

Oliver sighed, deciding to let go of this particular conversation. Instead, he turned back to the triplets.

"Aren't they so beautiful?" Lisa smiled. She loved to look at them as they slept. "I can't believe they are already vone. Thank you so much." She watched as he kissed their sleeping son's forehead. He'd certainly come a long way from being a man who didn't particularly want to have a son.

"No, thank you." He turned to her and took her in his arms. "I love you Lisa."

"I love you too Olivah." She hugged him tightly, and sighed, resting her head on his chest as they walked out of the nursery and back to their own room, leaving the triplets to sleep. She shut their bedroom door behind her carefully.

"Olivah, vhere's vhat you brought me back from Cartier?"


	12. Father of Mine

Father of Mine

November 1967

"Oh Olivah, aren't they vonderful?" Lisa smiled, looking down at the girls. She couldn't get enough of them. It was evening and they were sitting together by the fire, holding the babies.

"More than wonderful. We have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving."

"We certainly do." Oliver leaned in to kiss Lisa, but she broke their kiss with a surprise.

"And my Mothah is coming!" She squealed.

"Your Mother is coming?" Oliver was disappointed with her news.

"Yes, she is coming to see the babies and says she's never tried this Thanksgiving think."

"Lisa, my Mother is coming!" Lisa looked up at him with wide eyes. Their mothers hated each other. "And plus, it's Thanksgiving, it's a holiday half about food, what exactly were you planning on cooking?" He inquired.

"Hotscakes shtuffing."

Oliver sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Look, why don't you…"

"I'll do the cooking." Eb offered. Oliver had almost forgotten Eb was there, playing checkers all by himself.

"Huh?" Oliver questioned.

"I'm a great cook. I'll make Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, four different kinds of pie…." Oliver's mouth began to water and he thought he'd die of starvation.

"Alright, fine then Eb, you can cook."

"Vhat about my hotscakes schtuffing!" Lisa was offended.

"Lisa honey, the babies and our guests are going to need a lot of attention, so I think you're better off playing hostess…like you used to in New York."

"Vell…" She considered, suddenly bursting: "I do it!" She liked this idea better anyway.

"Marvelous!...Now what to do about your Mother coming?" Oliver considered. Lisa got upset and hit him with a pillow.

A few nights later Lisa was finishing giving the triplets their bath. She laughed as she watched Zsizsi pour a cup of water over her sister's head. Zsizsi giggled like crazy as Gizi started to cry. She didn't like having soap and water in her eyes.

"Oh Zsizsi, that vasnt' very nice." Lisa lifted Gizi into her arms, wrapped a towel around her and kissed her cheek. "There, there don't cry. It's alvight, Mommy's got you now."

It was pouring rain outside and Lisa didn't know where Oliver was. He hadn't come back inside yet. She very much doubted that he had gone to get diapers and formula like she'd asked hours ago...she was almost out of both. Lisa put the babies in their pajamas and took them into the kitchen for dinner, and of course to wait up for Daddy….

Lisa was concerned when Oliver and Eb didn't come in for dinner and the rain didn't let up, it just kept getting worse. She fed the triplets as it "thundered and lighteninged outside"…. wanting to go and look for Oliver and Eb, but she decided against it. If something were to happen to her, the babies would be all alone in the house.

"Come on girls, come on Nicky follow Mommy, lets go sit in the living room and have our story and our bottles, alrvight?" She finally announced. She placed the triplets on the couch with the book, Zsizsi and Nicky immediately began to look though it, but Gizi's eyes were transfixed on her Mom who was staring out the front window and into the rain.

"Mama." Gizi mumbled, reaching for Lisa. She turned suddenly, looking down at the little girl in surprise.

"Oh Gizi my little darling, did you just say Mama?" Lisa was overwhelmed and lifted the little girl into her arms again.

"M…." She tried again as she began to chew on her tiny fingers.

"Vell, that's alvright, your trying Gizi. I'm glad you said Mama!" She hugged her tightly.

Gizi had been the first to speak. This calmed Lisa considerably and she sat down with the triplets. But Lisa still watched the rain as she and the babies settled into their place on the couch. They sat on their mother's lap with a blanket and each of their bottles as the rain cascaded down the eves of the house.

"Vhere's your Daddy?" She asked, a while later, looking up from the book she'd been reading to them. She couldn't' hide that she was worried. The three had been wondering that themselves: where was Daddy?

The girl's tiny eyes were now transfixed on the book Lisa had been reading, and Nicky's were glued to his bottle. Lisa swore he would eat anything and couldn't wait to find out if he'd like her hotcakes or not. Zsizsi reached up to turn the page with her chubby fingers, calling her mother's attention back to the book.

"You don't have to turn the page, Mommy's got it Zsizsi."

Suddenly, the cold wind blew Oliver into the house. It was pouring and he was soaking wet. He had a difficult time getting the front door shut. Once he did, he stood there for a second to try to dry himself off a little bit.

"Look it's Daddy!" Lisa smiled, getting up to kiss her husband.

"Lisa, would you…"

"Yes darling." She left and hurried back with a towel. The three looked on interested as their father tried to dry himself off. His clothes were dripping wet. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Oh for!" Oliver was angry. It was probably just Eb after all.

Lisa took her husband's wet coat as he opened the door. A shadowy figure stood in the pouring rain, and Oliver could barely believe his eyes. He rubbed them vigorously in an attempt to clear his vision.

"Dad!" He asked, completely shell-shocked to see the father who had disappeared, run off over thirty years before, when he was in his teens. Eunice had divorced him and had him declared legally dead. Oliver and Lisa glanced at each other in complete awe and surprise.

"Oliver!" The man replied cheerily.

Oliver wanted to slam the door in the man's face, but then he looked back at Nicky and hoped he wouldn't do that to him if he showed up at his door one cold night thirty years in the future. Given that it was late on a cold autumn night, and the rain was cascading off the eves with an angry kind of vigor, he decided to let his father in. Oliver dispensed with the questioning, he was almost too angry for that, and instead tried his best to try to be calm and act normally…with sarcasm of course.

"Dad, this is my wife, Lisa. Lisa, this is my long-lost father."

"Aren't you a vision of loveliness!"

"Vell thank you." She said.

"And these are my daughters, Gizi and Zsizsi…and my son Nicky."

"They are Hungarian Prince and Princesses." Lisa interjected. She had been insisting, as of late, that this was true and Oliver didn't believe it.

"Lisa…" Oliver cautioned.

"And they triplets."

"Is that a fact?" Oliver's father asked.

"Yes, and they are two!"

"Almost two, and it's their bedtime."

"They're…"

"Lisa-" He cleared his throat.

"Yes, that's right its bedtime." Lisa smiled, collecting the babies and their effects in her arms, and heading up the stairs.

She understood that Oliver didn't necessarily want his children around his father. But she worried about her husband and listened carefully to the conversation transpiring downstairs as she snuggled the triplets in their rocking chair. Lisa listened carefully to the argument as the babies finished their bottles. She hummed softly in Hungarian as they began to yawn and grow tired. It amazed her how little they seemed when they were snuggled up together in her arms and ready to go to sleep.

Lisa put her oldest child down to sleep last and ran her fingers through Zsizsi's fuzzy blonde hair as she slept. She was nervous, and the baby comforted her as she listened to her husband, who was now in a heated "discussion" with his dad. She hoped it wouldn't get too loud as she didn't want it to wake the babies. That would be miserable. Suddenly the yelling stopped and she heard her husband begin to come back up the stairs. She kissed Zsizsi's head and ventured out into the hall.

"Olivah!" She exclaimed, trying to comfort him.

"Oh Lisa." He hugged her tightly he was very upset.

"Olivah I'm here darling." She soothed, rubbing her fingers through his hair. She was afraid he was going to cry.

"Are the babies asleep?"

"Fast asleep. Vhat happened?"

"He's uh staying, he's sleeping on the couch."

"That's very shweet of you darling."

"Thank you my love." She knew it was hard for him to do this.

"I can't say I haven't thought of him lately, what with me becoming a father and all… especially with getting a son and learning to love him and not repeat the relationship I had with my…that man downstairs…but I haven't seen him since I was seventeen, you know what that means? The last time I saw him, you were six years old…doesn't that put it into perspective?"

"Yes darling."

"Eb wasn't even born for crying out loud...and he's a grown man."

"Darling, it's alright."

"Lisa."

"Yes."

"If I ever hurt our kids, kill me."

"Darling, they adore their Daddy, and I know that their Daddy adores them, there's no need to worry about that." She kissed him.

"Lisa I love you." She simply smiled as they kissed again. "Come on, I've got to see my girls and my son." He took her hand and they went into the nursery so he could say good night to the triplets.

"I love them so much. They're the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. Good night princess." He kissed Gizi as she slept.

"Olivah?"

"Hum?" He asked.

"Gizi called me Mama."

"She did?" He was estatic. "That's our little girls' first word! Did Zsizsi say anything?"

"No, not yet."

"What about Nicky?"

"Not a vord."

"Oh I can't believe the nerve of that guy…to've left when I was seventeen and to come back and claim to be excited about being a grandfather…all in the same breath."

"Hum." She decided to take his mind off his Dad. She kissed his lips, pulling him into her embrace. Oliver wrapped his arms around her, deciding he would indulge in the offered diversion. "Thank you for giving me a family Lisa."

"Oh darlings good morning!" Lisa opened the triplet's curtains and lifted Gizi into her arms. They stood in their cribs and bounced up and down, excited that their mother was there to greet them. She kissed baby Gizi's cheek. "Good morning Gizi, my baby girl."

"Hello…" Lisa looked up to see her father-in-law.

"Oh hello." She tried to be cheery, despite her having held a crying husband all night. "I'm just getting the babies up, do you need anything?"

"Oh, no, no."

"Vell, here then, could you hold this please?" She asked, holding out her daughter and leaving him no choice but to take the baby in his arms. He held her at an arms length. Gizi cooed happily as she looked at him.

"Good morning Zsizsi." Lisa giggled, lifting Zsizsi out of her crib too. Zsizsi laughed and her mother lifted her into the air, rubbing her nose against the baby's.

The girls' foreign names caught his ears. Could he even pronounce them?

"So, um, you're Hungarian?"

"That's right. You see, my father vas the King, and…"

"…so that would make you, a Princess." He had to say he was impressed that his son had married a princess.

"That's vright." Lisa smiled, taking Gizi from her father-in-law. She now held a twin girl on each of her hips and Nicky in one of her arms. She still didn't know how she'd learned to do that and gotten so strong while doing it.

"Wow that's amazing, Oliver-"

"Don't mention it to Olivah, he doesn't believe it. He alvays just says, Lisa your father vasn't a King…..and he vas too!"

"And that makes these girls princesses and the boy…"

"That's correct. They are my shweet baby prince and princesses."

"Hi Mom. Hi baby sister." Eb greeted, taking Zsizsi from Lisa when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank you Eb, schweetheart." She acknowledged, happy as always that Eb helped her so much with the babies.

"You have another son?" Mr. Douglas senior questioned as they went into the kitchen.

"He's not my son he's my hired hand." Oliver was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper, and didn't take his eyes off of it. He sounded so grouchy that it made Eb jump…plus he had to admit that Oliver's words made his heart ache.

"Some father you are." Eb said, as he always did, putting Zsizsi in her high chair. Oliver glared at Eb, noting the irony of what he had just said…yeah, some father he was. He was a better father to Eb than his own had been to him. He was then glad he had Lisa and the babies to turn his attention to.

"Good morning babies." He kissed Gizi's forehead. She giggled. All three children loved their Daddy so much and were always excited to see him.

"Dadda!" Nicky squealed, reaching for Oliver. Oliver was amazed and could've cried…again. What perfect timing little Nicky had to start saying Daddy in front of his bumb grandfather!

"Oh Nicky sweetheart! Come here!"

Oliver lifted Nicky into his arms and kissed him. He hugged the boy tightly and kissed him again, cupping the back of his tiny head in his hand. Oliver took a moment, burring his face in Nicky's he didn't want to look up for fear he'd begin to cry. Nicky grabbed his father's face and giggled. This made Oliver smile.

"Okay Nicholas—why don't you sit right here?" He settled the boy on his lap. Lisa smiled at this, noting once again that Oliver's fears about being a bad father to a little boy had been completely unfounded.

Oliver left immediately after breakfast. His father followed him, much to his chagrin. Eb stayed behind and helped Lisa finish cleaning and feeding the babies. Suddenly the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Eb announced.

"Oh Eb dahling, could you?" She asked.

"Of course!" Eb loved answering the phone and helping his "Mom."

"Douglas residence." He announced.

"Lisa?" Came Eunice's sweet, but questioning voice.

"Hey grandma." Eb was excited.

"Eb, I am not your grandmother." The senior Mrs. Douglas was annoyed. She wished she had a way of knowing when Eb was going to answer the phone. She just wanted to call about her upcoming Thanksgiving plans. She'd be in Hooterville in only a few days, and now she had to take the extra time out of her busy life to explain to this half-whitted grown boy that she wasn't his grandmother.

"Hey grandma."

"Ha, fine Eb, I'm your grandmother."

"Okay, hey grandma, granddad's here."

"What!" She burst.

"Yeah, Mr. Douglas' father is here! Hello, hello, Sarah! What happened to the call?" Eb wondered what had happened to the line. Grandmother Douglas was gone. He didn't realize, that she was in fact fuming with anger and had hung up the phone. She would be in Hooterville before nightfall.

The day was over and sunset came in what seemed like seconds. While Oliver still did not like having his father around, he was pleasantly surprised by how helpful he turned out to be on the farm. Eb had spent the day sulking about Oliver's treatment of him. Noticing this, Oliver decided to have a chat with him on the front porch before going inside for the evening.

"Look Eb. Listen carefully. I want to let you know something. Can you listen for me?"

"Sure Dad."

"Eh." Oliver would have corrected him, but it would have made his point void. "Eb. I'm not your Dad, but I want to let you know…you're more my son, than that man is my father."

Lisa smiled, at hearing this. Eb didn't have parents, something Oliver failed to realize. She was behind the door in the living room, cuddling baby Zsizsi, who would just not go to sleep. Eb understood the subtlety here and hugged Oliver tightly. Oliver wanted to pull away, but instead, accepted the hug and patted Eb on the back. After he'd finally pried himself away from Eb, Oliver rushed up the stairs to see Lisa and say good night to the triplets.

"I'm proud of you Oliver." Lisa smiled. She didn't even turn to face him as she finally tucked Zsizsi into her crib. He didn't know how she knew it was him, the room was almost completely dark.

"You are?"

"Yes." She turned around, placing her arms around his neck. "You did a nice thing for Eb, he needed to know you care for him."

"He has parents-"

"No, no Oliver, he does not."

"But he…"

"Vhy do you think you have never seen them? Vhy do you think he doesn't leave us to visit them?"

"That's true."

"Oliver, he told me the truth. He's an orphan."

"He is?

"He is. Until us."

"I didn't know."

"I know, but he is. That's the truth."

"Oh Lisa, that's awful. But he talks about his mother and sib-"

"Made up." She shook her head. "He just has a grandfather and grandmother."

"Oh…"

"Yes."

Their conversations were disrupted by the sounds of a fussing infant.

"Oh, who is it?"

"It's Gizi. Oh vhat is it baby girl, huh?" She asked, lifting Gizi into her arms. "Oh she's so varm!"

"Let me feel!"

"Oh she is warm!"

She fussed as she was shifted in her mother's arms.

"Honey vhat's vrong?" She asked.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"Oh who could that be!" Oliver yelled more than questioned. Lisa, who held a baby Gizi in her arms, followed him down the stairs and peered over his shoulder as he finally answered the door.

"Mother!" He exclaimed.

"Where is he?" Eunice questioned, throwing off her coat and making herself at home right away. "Where is that oh…man?"

"You mean Dad?" He questioned, not understanding how she would've known he was there.

"Oliver how could you have this man under your roof! And fraternizing with my sweet beautiful grandbabies!" She cried, taking Gizi from Lisa. Although sick, Gizi didn't mind this much.

"Mother, I didn't invite him here. He showed up in the middle of the pouring rain last night. I would never have invited him here."

"But-"

"Mother, I love you…" he reassured, placing his arms on her shoulders, "do you think that I've forgotten the things that you and I went through…before he left, after he left?"

"No, I suppose not." She'd calmed down now.

"Of course not. Why don't you go in and see the babies, I'm sure they'll be delighted to see you." Oliver placed Gizi back in his wife's arms and put his arm around his mother, bringing her further into the house.

Lisa sighed.

"Eunice baby!" She heard her father-in-law utter upon seeing Eunice.

"Oh boy." Lisa was nervous now. "Gizi I vonder vhat kind of disaster this vill be." She confided in the baby. Gizi blinked and giggled. "There's only vone vay this could get veirder." Lisa regretted saying that as soon as the doorbell rang a second time. She cautiously opened the door and couldn't help but be thrilled even though their house had surely been hit by disaster!

"Anyu!" Lisa cried, throwing her arms around her mother: the dutchess and her sister, the glamourus Hungarian movie star (hint-hint).


	13. Loadin up the Truck and Movin to Beverly

"Anyu!" Lisa squealed, hugging her own real mother tightly, even with Gizi still squished in her arms. Gizi's eyes were wide and she wondered what was going on, but she started paying closer attention when her Mother began speaking in Hungarian. "Mothah vhat are you doing here?" Lisa continued.

"You invited me, for Thanksgiving, remember?"

Lisa was stressed for a moment. Eunice was one thing, but would her mother find the house satisfactory? It was a real mess. And she didn't have a maid…her mother wouldn't be happy about that either. Looking down at Gizi, she realized the baby was her perfect out.

"I have someone I vant you to meet." She said excitedly, pulling her Mother and sister into the house. "Mothah, this is your baby granddaughter, Gizi!"

"Oh she's so adorable!"

"Gizi can you say hi to Grandmama Gronyitz? And to your Auntie Emma?"

"Szia." Gizi was able to utter. Lisa knew that Gizi knew the word for hi in Hungarian, but she'd never imagine she'd say it.

"Oh vhat a sweet Hungarian name and she can speak Hungarian Lisa I'm so proud!" Lisa's mother, the Countess exclaimed, taking Gizi from Lisa.

Lisa wanted to protest but knew she had to allow her own mother to hold the triplets. She'd hoped to have the space to get them used to her mother and sister, who'd never seen them before. And she knew that wouldn't happen now that Eunice was there. Gizi was afraid of new people, Nicky got restless far too easily and Zsizsi was generally attached to Grandmother Douglas when she was around.

"Oh, I'm so happy you're here! No one in our family has seen the babies and they're almost vone and a half." Lisa seemed distressed to report this.

"She's a beautiful baby Lisa." She said. "Vhere are the other two?"

"They're asleep Mothah, but you can see them in the—" Lisa and her family were startled to hear a crash and loud yelling coming from the kitchen.

"Mo-ther!" Oliver exclaimed, trying to calm his irate Mother.

Oliver was overwhelmed. It had been years since he'd seen his parents together. He hated watching that vein on his mother's forehead poke out as she chewed out his father. Oliver had hoped that his father would just shut up and take it, after all he'd been gone for thirty years, right? But he went right back to his old tricks and was quickly at Eunice's throat.

"Mom, Dad, do you think that even just for the sake of everyone else we could…" He hated for this to wake Zsizsi and Nicky.

"Oh Oliver, I'm ashamed of you! Whose side are you on?" Eunice barked.

Lisa, the Duchess and Emma quietly stuck their heads in the swinging door that lead from the dining room to the kitchen so that they could watch the fight.

"No one's Mother." They heard Oliver reply.

"How is vhat's his name?" The Duchess asked. Lisa shushed her mother as politely as she possibly could.

"Oliver how could you?" Eunice seemed about to faint.

"Maybe the boy realizes…" Oliver's father began.

Boy? Oliver raised an eyebrow, he was nearly 50.

"Don't you start!" Eunice thundered. Lisa realized that her presence might possibly help avert disaster, or at the very least Gizi's probably would so she quickly opened the door and walked into the kitchen with her mother and sister in tow. Oliver put his hand over his face and sighed. Oh boy this was going to be a fun holiday.

"You!" The mothers said to each other at once. Eunice's attention was immediately taken off husband and placed on the Duchess and her beautiful daughter Emma.

"Oh, hello you are vhat's his name, right?" The Duchess turned away from Eunice and extended her hand to Oliver so that he could kiss it. He did, but only in the hopes that it wouldn't make things worse.

"Mothah and Mothah." Lisa laughed, nervously bouncing Gizi on her hip, "Ve invited you both for Thanksgiving because ve love you and you know, you do share three little grandchildren now and they should see both of their Grandmother's don't you think...?" Lisa and Oliver now listened intently, anxious to see what their answer would be to this reasonable argument.

"Well…" Eunice began.  
"You make an excellent point Lisa. Some Grandmothers get to see their Grandchildren all the time and others…" The Countess added. Eunice was affronted by this, she didn't get to see the triplets half as much as she wanted and it was this woman's own fault that she was just now meeting them for the first time.

"Oliver, I don't have to take this…first you bring, that, that thing here and then I get here and your father's here too. You know what kind of history we have!" Eunice cried. Oliver wondered which history she was referring to, the one between her and his father or the one between her and Lisa's mother.

"Mother it will be alright." Oliver reassured.

"Trust me dahling! My ex-husband vas much, much vorse!"

"Mothah!" Lisa cried, she'd always been close to her father.

"You're husband was worse, how could he have been worse? Until tonight, I haven't seen this pig of man in 30 years!" Eunice yelled. "How much worse of a husband could you hope to get?"

"Eunice I'm right here!" He exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm sorry Richard. You're the epitome of consideration, a true romantic at heart." Eunice rolled her eyes. Oliver laughed a little to himself, sometimes forgetting that he'd inherited his sarcasm from his Mother.

"Oh please, you may not have been together for that long, but vhen my husband vas King…"

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Mrs. Gronyitz, you're husband was no King."

Mrs. Gronyitz: the Duchess and her daughter exchanged glances and then looked over at Lisa, practically with fire in their eyes.

"Lisa, you married a man who does not believe you're a princess!"

"I love Olivah Mothah and ve all make sacrifices."

"Who?" The Duchess asked.

"Olivah, my husband!"

"Oh vhat's his name, that's vright."

"Vhat's…er, what's his name?" Eunice yelled, "It's a simple name, can't you remember your own son-in-law's name!" She treated Lisa like a daughter for heavens sake, the least this Duchess could do was to remember her son's name.

"Ladies, ladies please…" Oliver's father, Richard interjected.

"Shut up!" Eunice and the Duchess said to him at once.

"Fine I was just trying to be of help?"

"You're being of help is like a match being of help to a wooden house! Richard, why don't you just get out of here?"

"Fine, I will, I'll go to bed! Good night!" He announced, opening the back kitchen door and heading outside to the barn where he was bunking with Eb. "Oh…hello young man." He said, addressing a young, crying and very confused looking man in white overalls.

"Ralph, vhat's the mattah?" Lisa asked, going over to comfort Ralph Monroe.

"Alf kicked me out again! Ahhhhhh!" She blew her nose loudly as she continued to cry her appearance and behavior shocked both Eunice and the Duchess enough to get them to finally stop fighting.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" She asked.

"Of course Ralph dahling."

"No!" Oliver gave his disapproval that the same time that his wife gave her consent.

"Alright! Alright. I'll tell you what's going to happen here. There's a hotel on the other side of Hooterville, it's called the Shady Rest, Mrs. Bradley and her girls are very hospitable. I'll put all of you up there for the duration of your stay, all right? Even you Ralph! Just as long as you get out of my house!" Oliver offered, but his guests were offended.

"Heavens no, I came to see my Grandbabies." The Duchess informed.

"And I von't stay in any hotel vhich has less than five stars." Emma followed.

"Oh Oliver! Your own Mother! In a hotel and not your home? How could you?" Eunice tried to seem heartbroken. "And at the same hotel as Mr. Carson? Oh Oliver! Now if you'll excuse me I'm going upstairs to the guest room and to see the babies. Come along Gizi darling, it's time for bed." Eunice removed a drowsy Gizi from Lisa's arms and headed up the back stairs.

"If she's going to the guest room, so do ve!" Not to be outdone, the Duchess and Emma followed Eunice up the stairs.

"If they're staying, so am I!" Ralph exclaimed, running after them.

"Olivah, darling don't yell, it vill be alrvight!" Lisa soothed, she knew that look, that vein in his forehead was bulging again. He finally let out a breath.  
"Lisa I just wanted a peaceful holiday."

"I know dahling, but you're doing the right thing, I promise, come on, let's go upstairs."

"Hey I got an even better idea." He said, grabbing her arm and pulling in tight to him. She wanted to ask if he really felt like being romantical after what just happened but decided to just enjoy it when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. "Come on, we'll go sleep in the barn." He suggested.

"Dahling, Eb and your fathah are in there."

"Oh, that's right. Hey, why don't we get some blankets and some champagne and go sleep in the old Haney place."

"Now that sounds romantical. Vhat about the babies?"

"I would say we could go back upstairs to get them, but why risk it? And they've got built in baby-sitters, that's what Grandmas are for, right? What do you say?" He asked.

"Alvight, I go." She smiled.

Everyone had odd sleeping arrangements that night. Ralph slept by on the chaise in Lisa and Oliver's bedroom and Eb and Oliver's father stayed in the barn together as they had the previous few nights. Eb was fascinated by Richard Douglas who he called Grandpa, but Oliver was worried that his father was going to have a negative impact on the boy, much like his nephew Chuck had a couple of years before. Last, but not least, Eunice, Emma and the Duchess all shared one bed in the guest room out of refusal to be the one to leave. Eventually Eunice got up and went to check on the triplets when she couldn't sleep. She'd seen them all earlier in the evening when she put Gizi to bed, but now, Zsizsi was wide awake and standing in her crib while the other two were asleep.

"Hello my darling." She whispered.

"Grama!" Zsizsi squealed, reaching for Eunice.

"Zsizsi you said Grandma!" Eunice squealed, hugging the child tightly. She had no idea this was Zsizsi's first word. "It's nice to know someone around here values me." She said, Zsizsi smiled and squealed. "Come on darling, it's late, let's go downstairs and get you something to eat, and I can tell you the truth about your Grandfather."

"Olivah?" Lisa asked. They were laying in front of the fire with just a couple of blankets and each other to keep them warm. She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest and tracing her fingers along the buttons of his shirt gently.

"Yes darling."

"I'm glad ve did this."

"Me too." He kissed her sweetly, at least at the start. Soon their kiss became more passionate and the phone began to ring. "Oh who could that be?" He griped as he threw off the makeshift covers, hurried outside and once again began to scale the telephone poll.

"Olivah be careful it's dark!"

"I will Lisa. Hello!" He called. 'Sarah! Why are you ringing my old phone and it's night, why…oh, a collect call from Judson Felton, yes I'll take it." Oliver was immediately concerned to be hearing from Judson Felton late in the evening this close to a major holiday.

"Yes, hello Jud…Beverly Hills? Oh, I'd have to think about it Jud. Uh-huh. Okay, I'll call you Monday." He looked down at Lisa, who was at the bottom of the pole listening very curiously.

"Vhat vas that?"

"Judson Felton just made me an offer, and it's something, I've always wanted to do."

"Vhat?" She asked.

"He just asked me to help him start a new law firm in Los Angeles." Oliver seemed excited, but a little confused.

"I think we should go, I'll be ready in five minutes!" Eb cried, he'd come out of nowhere and was insanely excited.

"Ready to go where?" Oliver questioned.

"Load up the truck and move to Beverly!" Lisa cried. "Come on, ve have so much to talk about!" She took Oliver's arm and guided him back toward the Haney place.


	14. It means dentist, dahling!

Note: This chapter was partially inspired by season 4's "Oh, Promise Me"

The triplets were relieved to get away from all these strange new people and just be off with their Mom feeding the chickens. Lisa couldn't believe that they were growing so fast and had their own chores now. Every morning she would hold the bucket of chicken feed and watch as they did the work. The process was always a little bit of a struggle. They excitedly pushed and shoved each other out of the way to try to be first to feed the chickens. Lisa laughed, taking time to delight in her three. She hadn't had enough time for that in the past few days. Since Oliver's mother and her family had arrived: things had been far too tense.

Unbeknownst to Lisa, Eunice and the Duchess watched in disgust from the guest room upstairs. While the mothers genuinely disliked each other, they'd been able to find a common ground over their disenchantment with the fact that Lisa didn't have a Nanny or a Maid, that she cooked…or tried to, and did farm chores. Most of all they were aghast at her hands on role as a Mother: she did everything for and with the triplets and they didn't find it appropriate.

"Oh Lisa! Feeding the chicken's vith the children…it's so un-Hungarian!" The Duchess sniffled. She was crying a little bit and to Eunice, she seemed about to faint.

"I worry about those children, I warned Oliver about the consequences of moving out here, this far away from civilization!" Eunice pat the Duchess' arm. She had gotten over the shock, but not the frustration long ago.

Down in the farmyard, Lisa realized she really needed to tend to the hotcakes that were simmering on the stove and decided to leave Nicky responsible for the bucket.

"Here Nicky, you're a big boy, can you hold the bucket for Mommy?" Lisa asked. He nodded quickly. "There you go my dahling, don't drop it alvight?" She pat Nicky's cheek lovingly and turned to go back in the kitchen for a minute. "Ahhh!" She screamed, when she felt someone wrap their arms around her rib cage.

"Oh its you!" Oliver exclaimed when she turned around. Lisa was offended and hit him playfully on the arm. "I'm just kidding you darling." He said, kissing her softly and taking her in his arms. "Oh I can't wait to be alone with you and the kids again…for life to be normal."

"Me too! But shu! They'll hear you."

"I don't care Lisa."

"Our anniversary is coming up, have you forgotten?" It would happen literally on the heels of all the guests leaving.

"No, no honey, no I haven't."

"Do you have a surprise?" She asked excitedly.

"You want a present." He accused.

"There's just vone present I vant the most: to get married!"

"Oh Lisa! We're already married."

"But your parents veren't there Olivah and Emma and Eb…and the triplets!…Vouldn't it be nice to…"

"No and the triplets weren't supposed to be there Lisa. And plus we're already married. It would look redic-"

"But they vould be cute flower girls Olivah! Look at how vell they can throw the flowers petals!" She emphasized, pointing to the triplets. The girls were still throwing chicken feed everywhere and Nicky had taken the bucket from his mother and was digging through it. "You see, and Nicky can be the ring bearer and…"

"No!"

"But Olivah! I vant a church vedding after all ve're only married at city hall in Budapest."

"But we've got three children now. And we've been married 11 years!"

"10!"

"11!"

"Vell then ve should look at the marriage license."

"Your mother took it right after the wedding."

"Vell let's see if she has it!" Lisa said excitedly.

"Fine, that'll settle the whole matter!"

An hour later they were all in the living room after a not so filling breakfast of burnt pancakes. Lisa and Oliver were sitting with Lisa's mother who was digging through a large bag she'd brought, in an effort to find the wedding certificate. The girls were sitting with Lisa's sister Emma. They were captivated by her and thought she was even prettier than their Mommy. Oliver didn't think so. She was more glamorous than, but not prettier than Lisa. In fact Oliver noted that his wife and her sister looked alike just in the same way Zsizsi and Gizi did. Oliver looked back over at Lisa, who had caught him looking at her beautiful sister.

"Lisa." He whispered. "I'm so happy I married the beautiful sister." He placed a kiss on her forehead sweetly. She blushed, he always knew how to make her feel wonderful about herself. That was one of the reasons she'd married him.

"Just a minute, I think it's here!" The Duchess held up one finger indicating that it would only be a moment or two before she found it.

Eunice took note of the gigantic diamond on the Duchess' finger. The light from the sun reflected off it and shined brightly in her face. Why was that family so flashy for goodness sake? On the other hand, maybe flashy was better than what she was currently stuck with.

"Eunice, let me hold him." Her ex-husband asked of Nicky who sat on her lap.

"No." She pulled the boy away. Nicky didn't mind. He preferred to stay with Grandmother Eunice anyway.

"He's my grandson too!"

Eunice rolled her eyes, his sudden decision to care about their descendants was really annoying her, in fact, it was plain painful.

"Hardly." She mocked, focusing her attention on Nicky who was eagerly trying to show her the picture book he was looking at.

"Eunice, you really won't be saying the same thing, when I go back to New York with you." He laughed.

"What?" She exclaimed.

"Shu, shu. Quiet, I've found it." The Duchess announced.

"Vhat's it say Mama, 10 or 11 years?" Lisa asked quickly.

"Oh dear." The Duchess seemed alarmed immediately. She blinked a few times and then leaned in closer to inspect the document.

"Mama, vhat…?" Lisa grabbed the certificate from her mother and gasped. "Oh Olivah!" She sobbed as she began to cry. Her mother took her in her arms and held her tightly.

"What, what is it?" Oliver was highly alarmed now and reached over to comfort his wife.

The Duchess slapped his hand away and began yelling at him in Hungarian. He didn't understand it but knew it wasn't good instantaneously, especially given the way it changed the looks on the faces of his sister-in-law and three children.

"Lisa darling, what's the matter, it's not 13 years is it?"

"Oh Olivah! Ve're not married, ve're dentists togethah…ahhhahah!" She wailed.

"What?" He was angry and frustrated now. His mother-in-law hit him again for yelling at her daughter.

"Now see here, don't hit my son, what's going on?" Eunice finally gave up Nicky and approached the Duchess to defend her son. "Lisa darling, it'll be alright, whatever it is." She added.

Emma, knowing what her Mother had said, had to see this for herself and grabbed the certificate. She held back a chuckle immediately. This was funnier than it was anything else. Meanwhile the triplets were greatly distressed by their Mother's crying. They managed to toddle over to her and stood there trying to get her attention.

"How could we not be married we-"

"No dahling you're not married." Emma giggled, showing Oliver and Eunice the certificate. "See that vord?"

"Yeah."

"In Hungarian it means dentist."

"Dentist!"

"You and Ms. Lisa Gronyitz are licensed to practice dentistry together dahling!"

"Oh of all the…that's the most absurd thing I've ever heard!"

For a second Oliver didn't believe it. Her mother and sister must just be in on the plan: she was trying to con him to get her church wedding and it wasn't going to work. On the other hand, he couldn't argue with Lisa's tears, he knew they were her genuine ones. He couldn't argue with her mother's anger either, which unfortunately he also recognized as genuine. It was then that Oliver's mother-in-law began once again to accost him with a barrage of violent words. Lisa continued to cry, but pulled away from her Mother in order to address her very confused little triplets who were crying now just because she was.

"What is she saying?" Oliver asked his sister-in-law.

"She's saying you engineered it this vay." Emma translated. "And I vont' say the rest."

"Engineered it!" Oliver and Eunice exclaimed at once. This caused Oliver, Eunice and the Duchess to begin screaming at each other.

Lisa wondered why it was that no one had considered her feelings. After all she was the wife in this situation. She picked up the triplets and hurried out the front door. Unfortunately it took Oliver and everyone else a couple of minutes to realize she'd gone.

"Lisa!" Oliver yelled rushing out the door as soon as he'd realized she'd taken the babies and left. Oliver set out on foot to look for his wife who he knew couldn't be too much further ahead of him.

"Engineered it? That's my boy, finding a loophole out of marriage!" Richard Douglas raised his wineglass to honor his son.

"Richard, you're despicable. _My_ son would never ever do that. He loves that girl and always has. She's the only thing he ever-"

"Mrs. Douglas." The Duchess began.

"And you—" Eunice turned and angrily pointed a finger at the Duchess.

"Vait a minute. I'm sorry. I vas vrong to be so harsh vith your son. I love my Lisa and I vant to protect her: this came as a bit of a shock. I vas vrong about your son."

"Oh." Eunice was shocked by this.

"Yes, you see, he did something just now that my husband or yours vould never do: he ran after her."

Lisa looked down at the triplets who played quietly on Alf and Ralph's floor. "I'm sorry your Daddy and I veren't really married after all." Lisa soothed.

The triplets looked up at her with a hint of confusion in their little eyes. She could tell that they didn't understand what was going on, but sensed her distress and were bothered by it.

"Babies it vill be alright. I promise."

Lisa was crushed. 10…or was it 11 years of marriage that had turned out to be a sham? And it had been such a lovely marriage too everything about it had been dreamlike. To think that Oliver may have done this purposefully…but that didn't seem like him. She couldn't reconcile within herself that he would do that. They were too much in love.

Even though he was a grouch sometimes, she saw him as the sweetest man in the world. She still loved him completely. Her unwedded state caused her to recall that she'd saved herself for him. And now looking down at the triplets, she realized she was an un-wed mother of three: that would take some getting used to. Lisa looked up when she heard Oliver's voice and Ralph arguing with him at the door.

"Olivah! Please Ralph I vant to see him." Lisa held out her arms for Oliver.

"Alright fine. But she stays here till after the wedding!"

"She's my wife and she's coming home with me!" He retorted as Ralph went in the other room, not satisfied with his reply. Oliver accepted Lisa's hug right away and kissed her temple softly.

"Oh my hero, you do care?" She asked, resting her head on his chest. "And I'm still your wife?"

"Of course! And no Lisa you're my hero, you saved my life remember?" He asked and she nodded. "Lisa this is all so stupid. I-"

"So you didn't make a fake marriage-"

"No! You're my wife and I love you. Do you remember what lengths I had to go through to get you to marry me?"

"Yes." She said, laughing about the things he did to allow her parents to let her marry him and take her back to New York. "I remember all of those beautiful vonderful things."

"Well then…will you marry me again, this time for real?"

"Oh yes Olivah!" She squealed accepting his kiss. "And look who vill make such great flower girls. Dahlings, can you be Mommy's flower girls?"

"And Nicky, you can be the ring bearer. I was thinking about it on the way over here and I thought maybe Eb could do it, or maybe Mr. Kimball, but then I realized, I want someone responsible to keep the ring." Nicky smiled at this, even as young as he was, he understood that his Dad trusted him and liked that. Oliver could never remember getting that feeling from his Dad.

The triplets giggled and clapped when their parents kissed again, they were relived that whatever was going on seemed, in their view, to be over. Lisa and Oliver pulled apart momentarily to look at the three.

"You were right." Oliver commented. "They'll make a great flower girl and ring bearer."

"Olivah?"

"Yes."

"Does this this mean I get a new ring?" She burst.

"No! You've got a ring!"

"But that vone vas for becoming a dentist!" She whined.

Oliver and Lisa had decided to have their wedding as soon as possible, mostly out of the hope that it might insight their families to leave that night. And so two days later they had a wedding in the little church in Hooterville. Everyone, even Arnold Ziffel was there. Eunice despised that she was seated next to her ex-husband. At least she'd been able keep Nicky with her. She'd been holding him a lot, especially when forced to spend time with Richard because Nicky looked very much like Oliver had at that age. Her hope was to try and make Richard feel guilty. She would've liked to have kept the girls too, but the Duchess had taken _her _Granddaughters and was sitting on the other side of the church. She didn't appreciate that, that was for sure.

"This is nice, isn't it Eunice?"

"Well, you weren't there for his first wedding." Eunice was exasperated and just beginning to cry. "You weren't there for his bar mitzvah!"

"Eunice, we're not Jewish."

"Well if he'd had one, you wouldn'tve been!" She screeched, quieting herself down suddenly so the whole congregation wouldn't notice.

"Hi Eunice honey!" Came a familiar and agonizingly irritating voice. Eunice closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Mr. Carson…" She began.

"Hey whose wife are you calling honey?" Richard barked.

"W-wife?"

"Yeah! She's my girl, beat it!" He claimed, putting his arm around her. Eunice wanted to pull away, not knowing which man's advances she was truly more disgusted with.

"I'll fight for you Eunice honey!" Joe hollered as his niece Kate grabbed him by the ear.

"Sorry Mrs. Douglas." Kate Bradley gave an embarrassed laugh and pulled her Uncle Joe to another corner of the church.

"Eunice." He smiled. "Things will be different when we get home to New York. I promise." Eunice had had enough and would've gotten up and fled, but then the music started and the ceremony finally began.

Oliver carried Lisa over the threshold and into their house after the wedding. Oliver felt sort of bad for his Mother, who'd taken the triplets back to New York with her and for some odd reason, insisted on doing so as her wedding present. He couldn't imagine her caring for three toddlers even with the help of her maid, especially when two of them were almost identical and one of those two was his adventurous daughter Zsizsi. But he couldn't say he hadn't warned her.

"Olivah?"

"Hum?"

"I love you."

"I love you too Lisa." He kissed her.

"Olivah…are you ashamed?'

"Of what?"

"Of the fact that ve've been living together, "married" for so long and ve have three babies triplets and ve veren't really married."

"No. Lisa, I love you more than anything. Besides, we thought we were married, so we weren't really living in sin…not intentionally anyway."

"I love you Olivah." She whispered. He laughed.

"I love you too my darling." He wrapped his arms around her as they began to kiss. "Hey, what do you say we pop open a bottle of champagne, get comfortable and make a baby."

"Olivah! I'm not ready for a baby, ve've only been married a couple of hours." She teased and they both giggled as they began to kiss again. "Olivah?"

"Hum?"

"Do you think they'll be alvight vithout us tonight?'

"The triplets? Ooh yes, they..."

"But you see, they von't have their song."

"What song?"

"The one I've been singing to them every night since they vere very little and in my tummy still."

"Oh yeah, that's right – and I sing them a lullaby too."

"Olivah, I miss them!"

"Me too. Well, are you packed?" He asked.

"Packed? Vhere are we going?"

"New York."

"Ha Olivah New York!" She squealed throwing her arms around him. She hadn't been there since before the triplets were born.

"It's a great honeymoon spot and we can pick up our kids. How long do you think my Mother's really going to last with our three little trouble makers anyway?"


	15. We can work it out

It was no secret that Gizi was a Mommy's girl in all things. But Eunice was shocked to find that her Granddaughter's four-hour separation from Lisa was already getting to be too much.

"Mommy!" Gizi cried, wailing out loud, almost causing Zsizsi to join her.

Zsizsi, who was usually the most adventurous of the three looked over at her brother Nicky, who was having the time of his life, running up and down the aisle: he loved airplanes. And she did too: she wanted to join him. But she figured her job, as Gizi's big sister was more important. And after a few minutes she and Grandmother Eunice had managed to get Gizi quiet.

"It's alright darling." Eunice soothed. She was happy to finally get to spend some time with her girls now that the Duchess and Emma weren't around to pry them out of her arms. "I promise you're going to have a wonderful time with Grandmother!...and Grandfather…" Eunice added begrudgingly.

"Nicky! Nicky come here!" Richard commanded.

Richard Douglas couldn't understand how his small grandson could run himself ragged, running up and down the aisles of the plane. He also couldn't understand why no one seemed to mind and just found him adorable.

"Nicholas, come here." Richard's voice took on a noticeably more commanding tone.

"Richard! I'll not have you talk to my Grandson that way. He'll grow up to be a hippy! Why do you think Oliver lives on a farm?"

"Eunice, don't you dare try to pin the boy's eccentricities on me!"

"Oh Richard Douglas don't you dare!" Eunice barked, getting in her ex-husband's face. They were sure in for a long…long…however long it was until Richard left, or she could get a restraining order.

Lisa smiled as Oliver pulled away from her lips.

"Olivah I love finally being married to you." She had no idea it would feel different and it did!

"I think I love being finally married to you even more." He laughed as he leaned in to kiss her again. Oliver was surprised that he felt like he was a newlywed again and he knew Lisa did too. It had been a long time since they'd made out on an airplane, after all. "I love you Mrs. Douglas." He said in between kisses.

The woman who sat in the seat in front of them smiled as she did her knitting. It was always nice to hear newly married couples that were so in love.

"Now what do you say when we get to New York we check into the Plaza and go out to dinner and dancing and…"

"Olivah I know vaht you have on your mind." She giggled. "But vhat about our three babies triplets? Can't ve go pick them up?" She missed them as much as Gizi was missing her.

Unbeknownst to them the yenta woman in front of them choked. This _newly_ married couple had three children?

"Lisa darling. You work so hard. You deserve a baby-free break, even if it's just for an evening. And the babies are with my Mother. They'll be fine, they'll get through just the next ten or twelve hours and they'll be back with us okay?"

"Alvight." She supposed he was right. She knew she needed the break.

"Good, I'm glad." He laughed, kissing Lisa softly. "Now where were we?"

"Right here dahling." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him back in for another kiss.

The senior Douglas' and their grandchildren had had a tough few hours after they got home, but after a while, the triplets calmed down, ate their dinner, and took to their Grandparents. Eunice was distraught to find that her maid had an emergency and couldn't help her with the triplets. And on top of that, she now had Richard to manage as well and of course they weren't getting along. Eunice decided to ignore her ex and invested her attention in the children. But she quickly realized that she shouldn't have tried to give the twin girls and their brother a bath and was shocked to be splashed and almost completely soaked just minutes into it.

"No wonder your darling mother is so tired." Eunice sighed. Zsizsi giggled.

"Mommy!" Gizi cried.

"Mama!" Nicky realized he missed her too.

"Ma-me!" Zsizsi stopped giggling and was sorrowful also.

"Darlings don't cry. She'll be back soon. Your Mommy is very tired. And no wonder!" Zsizsi and Nicky splashed her again. Eunice took a deep breath and decided to be good-natured about this. After all, Lisa did it everyday, right?

After playing with the triplets for a few minutes, she washed them, which proved difficult: after all, all three of them were trying desperately to get out of the bathtub. Gizi was first to give up running away. She yawned as she was dried and had her pajamas put on. She was tired and wanted to have a snack and a story and go to bed. Nicky felt the same and sat on the floor patiently with Gizi once his pajamas were on. He could barely keep his big blue eyes open and kept blinking in order to try to stay awake long enough to get some milk before he went to sleep. Their sister, however, had other ideas. Zsizsi took off running down the hall….naked.

"Zsizsi! Zsizsi you get back here right this instant! Oh how is your poor mother surviving!" Eunice took off running after her with a towel. Gizi and Nicky laughed, even though they were tired, they always found their sister's antics, whatever they were, entertaining to a point, especially when it made a grown-up say funny things. "Zsizsi Olivia Douglas, you are a handful, just like your Grandfather!" Zsizsi giggled as her grandmother carried her back into the bathroom. Eunice could swear she saw Gizi roll her eyes before she yawned yet again.

"How is she like me?" Richard asked, he'd been in the living room reading the paper and had missed the ordeal. "And Eunice do you even have any idea what you're doing, caring for three children like that? Why are you all wet?"

"Yes Richard." She sighed. "I took care of our children by myself…a few times. I know what I'm doing. Anyway, your Granddaughter just ran down the hall without a stitch of clothing on. I'll never forget when you did that at that party in Monte Carlo."

"It always comes back to that doesn't it!"

Eunice put her head down as her ex stormed out of the room. It was then that she noticed the triplets looking up at her searching her tear-filled eyes carefully.

"Grama sorry!" Zsizsi exclaimed. She was growing to understand the situation between her Grandparents and it bothered her. In fact, it bothered all three of them. Gizi, the most loving of the three, jumped up and gave Eunice a hug and Nicky kissed her cheek.

"Oh Grandbabies, thank you for being so wonderful." She cried, lifting Gizi into her arms and hugging her tightly.

By this time, Lisa and Oliver were only a few blocks away at the Plaza. Lisa was torn. She wanted a quiet evening with her husband but missed her babies so much she could barely stand it.

"Olivah…" She began. He didn't notice her distancing herself from him and continued kissing her neck. It was evident to her that he only had one thing on his mind then.

"What Lisa my love?"

"I think ve need to talk."

"About what?"

"Olivah, I don't vant to have any more babies… not for a vhile."

"That's okay Leasie. Nothing could be further from my mind. All I care about is you and me and having a great honeymoon." She smiled. "Are you ready?" He asked, taking her hand.

"Oh yes, all I really vant is to go and dance the night avay." She laughed.

Normally she would be happy that Oliver was taking her dancing, he usually liked to stay in. But tonight, she was the one that she would've rather stayed in. But she didn't have the heart to admit that all she wanted to do was go to sleep; she was exhausted!

Oliver convinced Lisa to leave the triplets for a few more days. He knew she needed the rest more than she realized and figured his mother would let them know if she really had a problem with the kids. Lisa still missed the children but decided to fully acknowledge that she needed the break and just enjoy herself. Eunice was incredibly frustrated. She couldn't stand the whining and the arguing and the protests anymore, not from the triplets: from Richard. Eunice had decided to take her mind off her ex, who wouldn't leave her house, by planning a wedding party for Oliver and Lisa, who would be back to pick up the babies in a few days.

The triplets watched from their play pin as their grandmother gossiped on the phone and their grandfather rolled his eyes impatiently. She'd agreed to go on a walk with him and the triplets: he had something to tell her and was clearly trying to romance her. The house had been busy all day and was filled with people who were renovating the study, which had once been Richard's. It made the triplets homesick and reminded them of Alf and Ralph.

"You know if you're too busy to take the triplets on their walk, I could take them." Richard offered. Eunice had been on the phone forever.

"Nonsense!" She covered the speaking end of the phone. "Those are my precious grandchildren, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to them and besides, Oliver and Lisa would kill me." She rolled her eyes and returned to her conversation.

Over the next few minutes, Richard started to notice that it was his study that was being redone, he hadn't really noticed it before.

"Eunice I can't believe you're throwing out my furniture!" He complained once she got off the phone.

"Richard." She sighed impatiently. "You left in a drunken stupor thirty years ago. I should've redecorated the minute you left." She gathered the triplets in her arms and started getting them ready to go outside.

"Isn't this nice Eunice?" He changed the subject.

"Isn't what nice?" She asked, buttoning Gizi's coat.

"Just you and me- spending time with the grandchildren.

"Yes." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, that's mine, you can't take that out of here!" Richard became hysterical when he saw his big leather chair, which had been his father's being taken out of the front door. Suddenly Eunice and Richard found themselves in a screaming match. The carpenters ran away and Eunice stuck the triplets outside on the terrace where she had some toys for them and shut the door so that they wouldn't be witness to the argument as her children so often were. Nicky, Zsizsi and Gizi stood there and watched their grandparent's argue not really knowing what to make of it. Gizi sniffled a little, she found arguing very uncomfortable at best.

"Eunice stop!" He put his hands on her shoulders. "I want to get back together with you."

"What?" She was mortified.

"I still love you, we can work things out. We have three grandchildren."

"Four." She corrected.

"Oh yes Eb." He laughed.

"No, Cynthia has a son named Charles." She informed, pulling away from him.

"That's wonderful! When did this happen?"

"Twenty-one years ago Richard." Eunice was disgusted now. "Richard. We're a bad match from the start. I appreciate, in some sick way, you're wanting to do right by me again. But it's been too long. You realize, not too long after you left a big war came, you must've known your son went and yet you never called to see if he made it home….I always wondered about that. It's one thing to leave me, but…Oliver and Cynthia…and tiny grandchildren you didn't know existed." She laughed.

"Look, I may still have a-"

"You're a sore-head."

"Fine, I'm a sore-head. But I'm a changed sorehead. Please give this crusty old sorehead a chance." He took both her hands in his own.

"Well I…" She stopped suddenly, engaged with a gleam in his eye that she hadn't seen in a long time, since Oliver was little maybe. He stared back at her and into her soul and through his eyes she could see a hint of the man she married rather than the one she divorced. For a few moments it was like being back in another time. She couldn't believe what was happening when she let him kiss her.

"Just a chance Eunice, please, while we're here with our grandchildren." Eunice's heart was pounding and she didn't know how to respond.

She turned to look outside, deciding to turn her attention back to the triplets.

"Nicky!" Eunice shrieked, opening the door and darting outside when she saw the little boy trying, unfortunately with some success, to climb over the wall of her high-rise terrace. It was untold hundreds of feet to the ground. "Oh Nicky, darling, are you alright?' She asked, relieved to get him in her arms within seconds. "My poor baby. Don't clime the terrace darling, it's dangerous and you scare grandmother half to death!" She held the little boy tightly as she cried. Nicky, on the other hand, didn't really understand what he had done wrong.

"He's alright Eunice, not a scratch on him."

"He's alright? He just tried to…I'll never forget when you used to try to climb over the terrace." She chastised as she carried Nicky back in the house.

He followed with the girls' hands in his own.

"It always comes back to that, doesn't it Eunice!"

Eunice was so happy to have not been sucked back into Richard's world. Originally, she had let him stay so she'd have help with the babies but now, two days after Nicky's wall-climbing incident she really wanted him to leave. When Lisa and Oliver arrived to pick up the triplets, she was going to make sure that Oliver forced him to leave.

"Oh darlings, there you are!" Lisa squealed, ignoring her mother-in-law and getting on her knees to hold her triplets. Oliver watched as the triplets squealed and crawled all over his wife. She replied affectionately and began speaking to them in Hungarian right away.

"Oliver, look who's here." His Mother pulled him aside.

"Dad?" Oliver raised an eyebrow and looked over at his Mother concernedly.

"Hi Oliver." His father greeted.

"He's been here with me ever since we got back from Hooterville." Eunice wrapped her arms around her son's arms and rested her forehead against his shoulder in clear exasperation.

"Dad, you're divorced, you can't…"

"But son, I want to get back together with your mother, isn't that wonderful?"

"No, it's not wonderful." He said. "Just seeing you is a big step, but getting back together with you is just…"

"It's stupid!" Lisa announced from her place on the floor.

"What?" Richard protested.

"It's stupid. It's been 30 years, both of you have moved on vith your lives. It's ridiculous to think that it might vork out."

"I agree." Eunice said quickly.

"Well fine. I guess I'll go home." Richard picked up his suitcase, it turned out he had been preparing to leave. "But please think about letting me back into your lives. I promised I'm a changed man and I came back for a reason."

Eunice, Oliver and Lisa all exchanged glances.

"I wanted to see my son and wife again, and get to know Grandchildren I never knew I had." He smiled, looking down at the triplets. "I do care, I really do. Here, this is for the triplets." He said, handing Oliver an envelope. "It was nice to see you son. I mean that. You have a beautiful family. And Eunice…if you ever see it in your heart to take me back, I'll wait for you."

Richard Douglas turned his back on his family once more, this time because of his wife's rejection of him and reached to open the door. Oliver was surprised to see his mother reach over and stop him, placing a simple kiss on his cheek. But he recalled that his parents had always been in love, and just didn't get along for various reasons that didn't have much to do with affection.

"Oh Richard, I…" She didn't quite know what to say but she hugged him. Lisa thought this was so bittersweet and could barely hold back tears. The girls were transfixed on the scene, even as toddlers they loved things that were "romantical"…as their mother would phrase it.

"Good bye Eunice." He started to open the door again.

"Wait a minute. Mother, you divorced him after you had him declared dead, right?" Oliver raised an eyebrow.

"Yes Oliver, the divorce was just a forma…hahahahah!" Eunice almost choked on her own words.

"Eunice! Do you know what this means?"

"Mother, I'm not sure, but because he's quite alive you might still be married!" Oliver pointed out as Eunice promptly fainted and collapsed falling into the arms of her husband and son.


	16. Eb in Charge

Ch 16- Eb in Charge

The senior Douglas' had reaffirmed their love for one another by having a divorce renewal. Eunice and Richard gathered friends, family and acquaintances for the divorce proceedings. Eunice brought Oliver, Lisa and the triplets. Meanwhile, Richard saw fit to bring a date, a contemptible young woman who was so flashy and slutty she made the glamorous Lisa, and in a sense even her stunning sister, look like stuffy prudes. The reception, was, of course, well attended by the cream of society…with the noticeable absence of Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell, III a couple who had been Richard and Eunice's best friends for decades but had disappeared at sea on a small touring vessel several years earlier.

At he end of the party, the entire Douglas family went their separate ways. Richard and his new girlfriend went to the Bahamas. Eunice went off to Paris and Monte Carlo with friends. And Oliver, Lisa and the triplets finally went home.

Before Oliver and Lisa knew it, months had flown by and the triplets were two. They were stunned at how much bigger, talkative and adventurous their children had suddenly become.

"Hi guys." Oliver said, coming into the house.

"Hi Daddy!" Nicky greeted.

It was late in the evening and dinner was just about to be served. The triplets looked down at their plates apprehensively. After almost three years on the farm, Lisa was still a deplorable cook and Oliver was concerned that the babies were not getting nearly enough to eat now that they were no longer eating baby food.

"Hey are you guys hungry?" Oliver asked. The triplets nodded quickly.

"Don't vorry dahlings! Dinner is vready! Shee (see) hotscakes classic!" Lisa smiled.

"Hotcakes classic?" Oliver questioned, raising an eyebrow as Lisa served him a plain old regular hotcake.

"Hotscake yucky!" Nicky smiled as he dropped it on the floor, he leaned over the side of his hi-chair and watched it fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"That's my boy!" Oliver praised.

The girls copied their brother and shoved their hotcakes onto the kitchen floor as well as they began to giggle. Oliver smiled and joined his daughters in their laughter. The whole thing would be pretty funny…if it weren't truly so terrifying.

"Oh, so I suppose you think you could do better, Mr. Vise Guy!" Lisa was outraged.

"Yes. I do." Oliver admitted.

"Vell I…"

"Mr. Douglas, Mr. Douglas!" Eb called.

"What is it?" He gave an exasperated sigh as Eb ran into the kitchen.

"Dad, look at the tomaters, they're all flat."

"Flat!" Oliver yelled. "Let me see that." He grabbed the tomato out of Eb's hand, accidently squeezing it too harshly. It oozed all over his hand with ease.

"Hey, Dad now you've got ketchup all over your hands."

"Eb, I!"

"Vell! If I vere the farmer, I vouldn't grow square ketchup, that's for sure!" Lisa teased.

"Okay. Okay. How about this Lisa? I have a proposal for you."

"Vhat carrot of diamond?" She teased, maintaining her serious tone and narrowing her eyes.

"Do you really think you could be better at farming than me?"

"Ofs course!" She burst.

"Well, I think I could feed these kids better than you. So how about this, lets switch places…see who does better." Oliver proposed.

"Oh no, I don't wanna be around for this, I'm going to my room!" Eb's eyes grew big and he turned to run out the back of the kitchen door.

"Oh no you don't Eb, if I'm going to be the farmah, it looks like ve'll be vorking togethah!" Lisa smiled, indicating that she was accepting her husband's rather unique challenge.

"Great Lisa, we'll start tomorrow morning!"

"Good morning Olivah!" Oliver was startled when his wife woke him up. She stood over him, clad head to toe in diamonds and denim.

"Lisa, it's five o'clock in the morning." He mumbled, rolling back over.

"Good farmahs get up before the crack of dawn."

"That's right."

"And so do farm vives! Get up Olivah!"

"Alright, alright Lisa." He laughed. He usually didn't get up before the rooster crowed and she certainly didn't. Her change in attitude intreaged him greatly.

Oliver put on one of his regular suits for his first day as a farm/house husband. He brought the triplets downstairs and began to make waffles, not hotcakes in the kitchen. The triplets sat on the floor, playing with pots and pans as they did every morning. They were excited about the idea of their father making the breakfast. They'd never seen him cook before and they hoped that maybe they'd get something decent to eat.

"Good luck Olivah." Lisa said, kissing his cheek from behind and wrapping one of her aprons around his waist.

"Lisa I don't need."

"Yes you vill dahling." She reassured. "Now after breakfast, you'll need to go to Drucker's and the…"

"Lisa, Lisa, we've switched roles, honey I'll take care of everything in the house, you take care of everything on the farm."

"Alvight, but you…"

"Lisa." He warned.

"Dahling, you just need to know, it's the ladies every othah Vendsday Afternoon Discussion Club today…"

"Oh."

"And you have to be there by 11:30."

"What?"

"Yes…"

"Oh wait…today's the Hooterville Farmer's meeting too."

"Vell then you meet vith the ladies and I'll meet vith the farmahs!"

"Oh, Lisa, wait!" He said, grabbing her hand as she went out the back door and following her outside.

"Olivah, you did say ve vere going to svitch places. We might as vell just get it over vith."

"Your right darling." He said, kissing her softly and sending her out into the field to begin her first day as a farmer. "Oh no! The waffles are burning!" Oliver exclaimed, running back into the house where he saw the waffles on fire. He quickly extinguished the flames and threw them into the sink.

"You think that's funny, don't you?" Oliver asked. The triplets sat on the floor and giggled at their Dad.

"No burnt hotscakes!" Gizi squealed.

"No guys, no burnt hots..ah hotcakes."

Not knowing what else to do, and not wanting to admit defeat, Oliver took the triplets with him to the Shady Rest early to see if Mrs. Bradley would feed them. Sure enough, Kate was more than happy to help. Oliver was overwhelmed, quickly taking note that the triplets ate more than they could reasonably keep down and faster than they should that was for sure. He felt guilty, like he was a failed parent….okay, so he didn't know how to cook…but he was smart, he was a lawyer, if his wife couldn't learn…maybe he could.

"Oh Mr. Douglas, it'll be okay. How about you stay for a while after the meeting and spend some time cooking with me." Kate offered. He was relieved that she suggested, saving him the embarrassment. But he knew Kate Bradley had a way of reading people's mind.

"Alright, you know, Lisa wouldn't even have gotten to hotcakes without you." He reflected.

"That's right, isn't it?" She laughed.

But before the cooking lessons came the meeting. The ladies were shocked and almost offended to see that Mr. Douglas had come to the meeting in his wife's place. Oliver tried desperately to explain the situation, but his story was met with the disapproving and confused opinions of stuffy old country ladies. Oliver stayed after the meeting and cooked with Kate and Mrs. Ziffle, who stayed behind to help. He was dismayed when he devastated the Shady Rest's kitchen…filling the lobby with smoke and causing Joe Carson to go into panic mode. Kate was able to calm her Uncle down as he hurriedly tried to evacuate the entire hotel and called for Floyd and Charlie to bring water. Once the mess was cleared, and he'd been assured of Kate's forgiveness, he and the triplets went home in a worried daze.

Meanwhile, Lisa and Eb went to the Hooterville Farmer's Meeting. All the farmers in Hooterville turned and stared when they saw Mrs. Douglas walk into the room instead of her grouchy husband.

"What's she doin here? She's the most beautiful woman in all the valley!" They whispered amongst each other.

Everyone greeted Lisa kindly, but nervously. What would their wives think if she was at their meeting? Surely she'd be missed at the Ladies Every Other Afternoon Discussion Club! The only face that looked at her skeptically was: Amy. The valley's only female farmer who had "befriended" Oliver a year earlier. Amy snickered and rolled her eyes as Lisa and Eb went to sit down. Lisa did her best to ignore her and focused on the proceedings of the meeting.

"Oh uh, hi Mrs. Douglas." Mr. Kimball laughed. "Mr. Douglas sick or something?"

"Oh no Mr. Kimball, I'm the farmah in the family now!"

"That's right, because Mom says she won't grow square tomaters." Eb added.

"That's vright."

All the farmers, were silent for a minute and then they all, except Amy, burst into thunderous applause.

"That's great Mrs. Douglas." Mr. Ziffel began.

"We have great confidence in you." Arnold oinked.

"Vell thank you!"

"What do you know about farming?" Amy asked. "You know…other than fu."

"You mean, p-h!" Lisa chimed cheerily.

"Well, she does know something about soil acidity." Mr. Kimball remarked.

"Well. We still have to see if she passes."

"Passes vhat!" Lisa asked.

"Oh Mrs. Douglas, I forgot to tell you." Eb began, "You have to pass a test to see if you can farm in Hooterville."

"And Amy here is the administrator of the exam." Mr. Kimball informed. Amy smiled at Lisa mischievously and Lisa immediately knew that she was done for as a Hooterville farmer.

The meeting quickly and excitedly disbanded when they realized they had a test to administer. Everyone, accepting Amy, hoped they could admit a new farmer to their society…especially one as pretty and nice as Mrs. Douglas. Lisa and Eb went over to Amy's farm for the arduous test, which consisted of a seed planting game and a written portion. Lisa would've failed no matter how badly she did, given Amy's dislike of her but she honestly did very poorly on her own merit.

"What are you doing Mrs. Douglas…that's not how you plant seeds!" Amy asked. Lisa was walking/dancing through the field and was singing something that sounded very…foreign to Amy's Midwestern American ears. Lisa casually tossed each little seed over her shoulder, as if she didn't care where or how it fell. Eb watched his "mother" as she did this and wondered what the story was, he knew there would be a story and a reasoning for why she was planting this way.

"It's the vay the Gypsies plant the seeds! Ve're blessing them by singing and dancing." Lisa exclaimed.

"Sorry. No dancing in Hooterville." Amy wrote a big zero on her clipboard for Lisa's score.

"Yeah. And I'm sorry Mrs. Douglas." Said Mr. Kimball who was also in attendance. "You need a license for field dancing in Hooterville, I'm going to have to fine you!"

Lisa gave an exhasperated sigh and moved on to the written test as instructed.

"Time's up!" Amy announced twenty minutes later. "What's this?" She asked of the strange writing.

"I only know how to vrite in Hungarian." Lisa explained.

"Sorry Mrs. Douglas…that's a zero. You fail!"

"Fail! Vhy…that's not fair. My husband passed and look he's the vorld's vorst farmah!"

"Not only did he pass." Eb laughed. "He received the highest score in Hooterville history."

Lisa was aghast and allowed her mouth to drop open, that was further proof that she should have passed.

"Shee (see) it's an inaccurate test!"

"Sorry Mrs. Douglas. You failed." Amy smirked.

Oliver had tried to make spaghetti that night and had failed miserably, when it was supposed to be done it was all burnt, black and clumped together. He was frustrated and sat down at the table, nearly in tears.

"I miss Mommy." Nicky said.

"Mama!" Zsizsi began to cry.

"Where's Mommy?" Gizi asked as she too began to cry.

"Oh guys, Daddy'll figure it out, it's going to be alright.

The triplets continued crying, they were not used to spending this much time without her. Just then, Lisa came in crying too.

"Honey, what's the matter?" Oliver asked, concerned immediately. He took Lisa in his arms and held her tightly.

"Oh Olivah, I've failed as a farmah!"

"What?"

"Dad, Mom failed the Hooterville farmer's test!" Eb announced.

"Oh…I'm sorry Lisa." He said, sweetly drying her tears. He'd forgotten all about that test, it had been so simple.

"How did you do with the cooking? Vhat are ve having for dinner?" She asked, quickly changing the subject. Lisa was starving. She had no idea that failing at farming would make her quite so hungry or tired.

"Oh well uh…" He didn't really want to admit to her that he'd failed at his task as well. "Honey I…"

"Daddy bad cook." Gizi announced for him.

Oliver lowered his head in shame, resting it gently at the top of Lisa's forehead. Lisa began to laugh, and grabbed Oliver's cheeks pulling his face down so his blue eyes could meet her gaze.

"Oh dahling it's alvight, ve tried something new. I think I better go back to being the Mommy and you go back to being the farmah."

"But Lisa, they're starving. They…"

"Alright." Eb gave an exasperated sigh and grabbed the apron out of Oliver's hand.

"What?" Oliver questioned as he watched his farmhand/adopted son begin to put on the apron Lisa'd handed him that morning. Eb adjusted his cap.

"Your new chef at your service sir!" He announced, showing his country-boy grin.

"What!" Oliver yelled now.

"That's vright! Eb's a great cook!" Lisa recalled.

"Yeah, and you would know that if you two wouldn'tve discovered you weren't married and everybody had ate that Thanksgiving dinner I made."

"Alright Eb, you can be the new cook." Oliver sighed.

"Great. I'll be just like Hazel!" Eb exclaimed.

Oliver rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Come on Lisa, let's change before dinner's ready, alright." He suggested, taking his wife's arm.

"I'm sure you'll make a great cook dahling." Lisa commended as she and Oliver left the room and headed up the stairs.

"Brother good cook!" Nicky clapped after his parents were out of earshot.

"I sure am. And as usual. I've got to do everything around here!" Eb told the triplets. He rolled his eyes, laughed and began making dinner.


	17. The Hungarian Princess, Part I

Chapter 17- The Hungarian Princess, Part I

Autumn 1969

"Mommy why can't you cook?" Three-year-old Zsizsi asked, dropping her hotcake, causing the plate to rattle and finally come to a sound stop on the kitchen table. Oliver laughed as quietly as he could. He thought it was funny that Zsizsi was always so blunt.

"Yeah, why not?" Nicky repeated his sister's question.

"Nicky, don't remind your mother that she can't cook." Oliver whispered to his son.

Oliver and Lisa had had their share of cooking fights in the last year. Now that they knew neither of them could cook, Lisa had told her husband that "he would be a hypocritical"…uh a hypocrite if he tried to hold anything against her on that count.

"I think Mommy cooks good." Oliver knew Gizi, who was probably the most kind-hearted child in the world, was saying this just to make her mother feel better.

"Oh thank you shweetheart." Lisa felt bad and hugged Gizi tightly.

"Don't worry guys, we'll get something to eat tonight." Oliver reminded.

"Olivah!" Lisa was hurt by this comment.

"I'm kidding honey, I'm kidding." He laughed as Lisa glared at him.

"Speaking of vitch, the three of you need to be on your best behavior tonight. Nicky my schveetheart- that means you."

The whole family: including the triplets, were going over to meet Eb's girlfriend's family that evening. Lisa and Oliver were nervous about the little ones, they had only just turned three and hadn't really been out anywhere before. Staying with Kate Bradley and her girls for the evening, or with their grandmother, didn't count as going out. Staying with Eb, which they did often, counted practically as staying with them.

"Mommy, I don't want to wear that thing you're making me wear." Nicky whined, referring to the tuxedo his mother had chosen for him to wear later on in the evening.

"But dahling you'll look very handsome and respectabable."

"Lisa." Oliver sighed. "It's a farming community, dress them casually."

"Vhat's the fun in that?" Lisa pouted. She liked dressing up the children.

"Mommy can we paint our nails?" Zsizsi asked.

"Paint their…"

"Girls that's a vonderful idea!" Lisa exclaimed.

"No its not! Lisa they're babies they're only three."

"They're not too younger!" Lisa snapped. "If they vere in New York then…"

"Lisa…"

"Mommy what's New York?" Gizi suddenly questioned.

Oliver and Lisa just stopped, casting away all their differences and exchanging quick, horrified glances.

"Guys, we've told you about New York." Oliver informed. Lisa thought he could barely believe what he was hearing she wanted to faint.

"And you've been there before." Lisa blinked her eyelashes in disbelief.

"Where is it?" Zsizsi asked again.

"You don't remember?" Lisa asked.

"We already told you we don't know what it is!" Nicky was frustrated. Lisa giggled, to her it sounded like Oliver when he was frustrated.

"It's a great big vonderful city," Lisa began and Oliver could see her eyes light up at her explanation, "vhere your Grandmother Douglas lives, and vhere your Fathah grew up, and vhere he and I used to live togethah before ve had you." She smiled at her explanation.

"And Eb too!" Nicky included.

"He's not your…" Oliver tried to say he wasn't their brother but Lisa cut him off.

"Now, vould any of you like some hotscakes?"

"No!" The triplets exclaimed, scattering from the room.

"Olivah." She began once the children had left the room. "I vas thinking about taking the children to New York, it's been such a long time and…"

"Lisa I think that's a wonderful idea." He surprised her.

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. She'd expected to hear anything but that.

"Sure. They need some actual breakfast."

"Oh Olivah!"

"I was just teasing sweetheart."

"Vell I certainly hope so."

"Well I am. Why don't you and the girls go tomorrow and Nicky and I'll join you in a few days." He suggested, pulling her into a hug and leaning his forehead against hers. "Considering where we came from….I think they should be learning something about city life." Lisa smiled; this pleased her greatly. "And how to be proper ladies and gentlemen…so you take the girls, and I'll take Nicky and we'll meet oh…on Saturday at Mother's?"

"That sounds vonderful!" She exclaimed. "You know, it vouldn't be proper for them to spend all their lives in the country; they have to know something about city life, they are princesses after all…"

"Oh Lisa they're not…"

"They are too and so am I!"

"Well, you're my Princess. Is that good enough?" He asked, kissing her sweetly. "Have a good day honey." He made his way out the door, dismissing his wife's assertion without another word.

"Vell that's not fair. In Hungary, I really am a Princess." She said to herself.

….

"Oh Dad can I go too?"

"No." Oliver told Eb.

"Well why not, it…"

"Olivah don't you think it vould be nice for him to…"

"Yeah Dad don't you…"

"Look, Eb I'm sorry. But I need someone to run the place while I'm gone. Next time, when we can plan it out: I promise. Besides, look where we're going tonight…we're going to your fiancé's parent's house for dinner, remember?" He asked, watching Eb straighten his bow tie. "You wouldn't want to leave her and…"

"Oh hi baby sisters!" Eb exclaimed sweetly when Zsizsi and Gizi ran into the room and began to climb on him.

"Girls, your brother is not for climbing!" Lisa exclaimed, she, however was more focused on putting her earrings in her ears.

"Mommy please I don't want to wear this." Nicky pled. He was the last to show up in the living room and was tugging on his tuxedo tie.

The day had faded away into sunset and the triplets were getting ready to go out just as they usually would've prepared for bed. Gizi and Zsizsi giggled at their brother from their place in Eb's arms. Nicky hated his tux but they adored their tiny, intricate, beautiful dresses.

"Lisa, that's ridiculous!" Oliver said when he saw his tiny son wearing a tuxedo that matched his own. "Why'd you get a tuxedo for a three year old boy?" If they were still living in New York maybe he'd understand it.

"Because he has to look respectabable and because he's so cute!" Lisa baby talked to Nicky. The boy tugged at his tie and looked up hopelessly at his father.

"Excuse us." Oliver insisted, taking Nicky's hand and beginning to walk back up the stairs. Nicky was relieved.

"Daddy, it's choking me, don't make me wear-"

"You don't have to son." He promised.

Like the entire Douglas family, Nicky enjoyed dressing up. In fact, the triplets felt hopelessly out of place if not dressed up. So when Nicky asked if he could just wear his regular clothes, Oliver happily obliged. His son usually wore what he did. Dress slacks, a shirt and a vest, and tiny oxford shoes.

"Are you ready yet Lisa?" He asked, letting go of Nicky's hand when he got to the living room.

She had hairpins in her mouth and was carefully brushing Gizi's soft blonde hair into a perfect ponytail. Zsizsi's hair was already finished and she gritted her teeth at her brother jokingly.

"Come on Mom, you've got to be ready soon…we're late!" Eb urged. "Mr. Tremble's really not going to like it if we're late."

"He's had children of his own, I'm sure he'll understand." Oliver reasoned, watching Gizi yawn. He didn't like Mr. Tremble any more than the next guy but figured he'd have to understand their being late. Anyone would know three three year olds were hard work.

…

The girls were reluctant to get on the airplane the next morning, especially since it met that they had to leave their father and Eb and all of their pets behind. Not to mention Nicky. The three stared at each other hopelessly then hugged.

"Okay…okay!" Nicky cried, signifying that he'd had enough of his sisters squeezing him.

"But we'll miss you!" Zsizsi reminded.

"Yeah, we've never been apart before, not ever!" Gizi cried.

"Oh…yeah…" Nicky was sad too and hugged his sisters again.

"Oh Olivah, isn't that shweet?" Lisa giggled as her husband kissed her good-bye. She'd just observed the triplet's parting from each other and thought it was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

"It is…hey guys don't cry!" He exclaimed getting on his knees to address his three crying kids.

"But I'm going ta miss them!" Nicky cried.

"Me too!" Gizi and Zsizsi cried at once.

"Oh! Oh!" Lisa was upset now and didn't know what to do.

"Last call Pixley Air to Chicago." The airport announcer called.

"Oh Olivah, ve can't apart them!"

"What?"

"Ve can't apart them, you know, break it up."

"We have to Lisa. It's okay, it'll be just a couple of days." Oliver said, giving each of the girls a kiss on the cheek and lifting his son into his arms.

"Alvight." She said, taking the girl's hands, pausing for a moment.

"Last boarding call Pixley Air to Chicago." The announcer said again.

"Lisa you better go." Oliver suggested when they heard the plane's engine begin to roar.

"Vright…" She said, taking the girls and hurrying to the plane. Lisa didn't get to kiss Oliver or her baby Nicky good-bye and she felt empty for that reason.

"Daddy why'd they leave me?" Nicky asked. His father held him on his shoulders so that he could watch the plane that contained his mother and sisters take off and fly into the air.

"It's okay Nicky, it'll be just a few days, I promise. And until then lets have some time alone, just you and me."

"Mommy I wanna sit with you!" Zsizsi plead as they were being seated on the plane.

"No Mommy, me, me!"

"Oh girls, I'm sorry but Mommy can only fit vone of you on her lap on the plane." She paused, sensing that both were scared and needed her equally. Both were scared and fought over who got to sit on Lisa's lap.

"Alvight then, we vill trade back and forth, alvight?" She said, lifting Gizi onto her lap and encircling Zsizsi with her arm. Lisa giggled as Zsizsi buried her head in her side and Gizi took to sucking her thumb.

"Girls, it's alvight. Don't be scared." She laughed. "You've flown before and everything vill be fine. And you don't have to leave Mommy's side. I promise."

After a while, Lisa noticed that Zsizsi especially liked flying and that Gizi wasn't half as scared as anybody thought she'd be.

"See, that vas a piece of cake." Lisa soothed, running her fingers through Zsizsi's hair and smiling at Gizi who know sucked her thumb.

"Mommy, there's cake?" Zsizsi asked.

….

Three Hours Later

Gizi and Zsizsi were overwhelmed by New York. They didn't remember ever having been there before. Lisa found if very difficult, at first, to keep the girls focused on walking anywhere when they got off the plane. Every little thing caught their tiny eyes and commandeered their short attention spans.

"Come on girls, stay with Mommy." Lisa would say in English a couple of times to get at least one girl to remember to focus.

Then she would usually have to repeat it in Hungarian so they would both follow along. She didn't think she'd ever heard the twins talk so much in her life, there was lots of 'Mommy what's that?!' and especially 'Mommy why…' and 'Mommy who…' All that and they were just in the airport! Lisa was relieved when Mother's town car picked them up, the girls were awed by that too.

"Alvright girls, vhat do you vant to wear to see Grandmother Douglas?" She planned on changing them in the back of the car, thinking that they weren't dressed nearly as nicely as they needed to be to see Eunice.

"Make up!" Zsizsi offered.

"We pretty." Lisa's face fell at this suggestion.

"Girls you don't need make up." She laughed. "But how avout a little blush?"

The twins nodded.

"I met what dresses do you girls vant to vear?" She asked.

"Pink!" Gizi shouted out a color.

"Blue." Zsizsi followed.

"Alvright my darlings that was simple enough." Lisa changed the twins' dresses and did their hair. She loved dressing them up. It was probably one of her favorite parts of her job as a mother.

"There, now you look perfect for Grandmother."

"Are we really going in there?" Zsizsi, the more outspoken of the girls asked what she and her sister had both been thinking. They stared up at the high-rise building as they piled out of the car.

"Yes darlings, come on." Lisa giggled, wondering how long it would take for them to not be amazed by every single little thing they saw.

The girls were quiet, watchful and held their mother's hands as they boarded the elevator that would take them to their grandmother. Each girl sucked her thumb in complete nervousness. They hadn't seen grandmother in a while and were nervous about the idea, especially since, they had no idea she lived in a place that was so…grand. Gizi looked over at her sister, and was comforted to see that she felt the same nervousness. The girls were completely captivated by the big white and gold double doors that their mother stopped to knock on when they got off the elevator.

"Oh Lisa, you've escaped!" Oliver's mother was ecstatic to see Lisa and threw her arms around her.

"Hello Mother!" Lisa said cheerfully. Hugging her as much as she could, both her hands were still in her little girl's hands.

"Lisa, why aren't…oh look how big they've gotten!"

"Hi grandma."

"Hi gwandma."

"Lisa, what have you been feeding these girls they are so much bigger than the last time I saw them, oh my!"

"Hotscakes." Lisa answered simply.

"Yuck!" the girls said in disgust.

"Hello my little darlings, come in, come in!" She exclaimed, hugging them. "And welcome to civilization."

"Huh?" Zsizsi asked.

"Oh Mothah ve live in civilization." Lisa tried to offer.

"Mommy how come there are no animals here?" Gizi asked, tugging on her mother's skirt and completely disproving her argument that Hooterville was part of civilization. Eunice gave her daughter-in-law an _I told you so_ smirk and continued on greeting the girls.

The senior Mrs. Douglas had been overjoyed by having grandchildren by Oliver and Lisa, but wished they had names she could pronounce. In truth, she also wasn't quite sure who was who now that they were a little older and she hadn't seen them in a while. The girls looked very much alike and she thought that as they grew they grew to look even more alike. Eunice figured that you kind of had to remember them by their eye color. Someone had once told Lisa that Gizi and Zsizsi looked alike in the same way as Eva and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Mrs. Douglas' mind spun. Zsizsi was blue eyes, right? And Gizi was brown, or was it the other way around? Zsizsi followed her grandmother, but Gizi was still scared and would not let go of her mother's hand.

"It's alvright Gizi darling, Mommy's not going anyvhere." She said to Gizi, not in English, but in Hungarian.

Eunice's ears perked up at this, in truth, Mrs. Douglas, senior, was almost angered to find that her grandchildren were being taught Hungarian before English. She'd had no idea that this was occurring.

"Um, Lisa…don't you think you should be teaching these children…English?"

"It's easier for me Mother." Lisa insisted. "I don't know a lot of children's things in English, only Hungarian."

"Like what?" She asked as she poured the tea.

"Vell, like stories, lullabies. Things my mother sang to me, I only know them in Hungarian, not in English, and they mean a lot."

Zsizsi was playing quietly on the floor while Gizi had her tiny face buried in her mother's lap. Lisa ran her fingers gently through Gizi's hair to comfort her, knowing that Gizi was her scared little sweet one.

"Anyu!" Gizi cried.

"What's that?"

"Oh kedvesem Gizi. She said Mommy and I said shweetheart."

"Oh…"

"Mommy! He got away!" Zsizsi cried.

"Who got avay?" She asked Zsizsi.

"Froggy!" Zsizsi said nervously.

Lisa was stunned. Zsizsi had brought the frog? What daring, what skill…what a bad little girl! Lisa was half ashamed, half amused and now, part scared too.

"Fr-fr-f-frrr-frooog…ie?" Mrs. Douglas senior questioned.

"Why did you bring the frog?" Gizi raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Zsizsi vhy did you bring the frog?"

"Froggie's my friend."

"Yes, but darling, you know Froggies don't belong in houses or airplanes, any place else but outside! Now you find him, alvight?" She instructed.

"Fr-fr-froggie!" Eunice questioned again.

"Hurry girls, I can tell you're grandmother's scared to death." Lisa said.

…

Two days later

"Daddy, why can't I come and help you?" Nicky asked, following his Dad around the house. He was wearing a pair of his Dad's best oxford shoes…or trying to.

Oliver picked Nicky up from behind and kissed his cheek.

"That's nice of you son. But I'm afraid you're too little to help."

"Please." The tiny boy pleaded.

"Nicholas O-" Oliver sighed. "Nicholas what's the rule when Daddy says no?"

"Don't ask again- unless you're Zsizsi."

"Nicky no body ever said that was the rule."

"Zsizsi always gets what she wants."

"No she doesn't."

"Yes she does!" Nicky cried.

"Look I've got to go outside; we'll talk about this on the way to the airport, when I get back, okay?" He said, kissing his son's forehead. "Eb, you're still going to…"

"Play with my little brother for a few minutes while you load up the car, yes sir!"

"Yeah…" Oliver sighed, about to say, once again that the two weren't brothers. Oliver was about to walk out the door when he heard the phone begin to ring.

"Hello…a collect call from Hungary…no…yes I know but…my wife isn't here…an emergency…" Oliver was angered until he heard this. "I'll tell you what you do then Sarah, transfer the call to my mother's in New York. Yeah the number there is…."

Oliver had missed his wife and daughters over the past few days but now he was even more anxious to get to New York than he was before: once she got this message, she'd be off to Budapest.

.


End file.
